Another American F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet crashed off the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, marking the second loss of an F-18 aircraft from the carrier in a week, US media reported.
The aircraft’s landing gear malfunctioned as it was landing on the carrier. The pilot and weapons officer ejected and were picked up by a rescue helicopter with minor injuries, according to one source.
On April 28, the US Navy press service reported that an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet had crashed off the deck of the USS Harry Truman in the Red Sea. The aircraft sank and one sailor suffered minor injuries. The F/A-18 is valued at more than $60 million. Yemeni Houthis have repeatedly attacked the American aircraft carrier group, including the Harry Truman.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that the US would stop bombing the Yemeni Houthis because they had “surrendered.” According to him, the Houthis promised not to attack ships in the Red Sea.
These incidents were part of a series of setbacks for the USS Harry S. Truman. In December 2024, another F/A-18F was shot down by mistake by the cruiser USS Gettysburg as a result of “friendly fire,” both pilots survived.
In February 2025, the aircraft carrier collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Egypt, resulting in damage and the removal of the ship’s commander, Captain Dave Snowden. After repairs in Greece, the USS Harry S. Truman returned to the Red Sea, where it continued to strike Houthi targets, including with AGM-154C JSOW and AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER missiles.
