Photo: ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP / Getty Images
A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet fell off the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and sank into the Red Sea on Monday (April 28). The incident occurred while the jet was being towed out of a hangar, and the carrier made a hard turn, possibly to avoid fire from Houthi rebels. The sudden shift caused the tow tractor and the jet to go overboard.
The Navy has launched an investigation into the incident, and all personnel aboard the carrier were accounted for, with only one sailor sustaining a minor injury. According to CNN, the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for launching a drone and missile attack on the carrier, which is part of the U.S. military's operation against the Iran-backed group in the region.
The USS Harry S. Truman, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is stationed in the Red Sea to protect commercial shipping from frequent Houthi attacks. Despite the loss of the $67 million jet, the Navy emphasized that the carrier's strike group and air wing remain fully mission capable.