An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet slipped off the hangar deck of the USS Harry S Truman and plunged into the Red Sea on Monday while being towed, the US Navy confirmed.
The jet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 136, was being moved inside the carrier’s hangar bay when the towing crew lost control. Both the aircraft and the small tow tractor went overboard.
Sailors operating the tow vehicle and seated in the jet managed to jump clear before the fall. One sailor sustained a minor injury, officials said.
“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft,” the Navy said in a statement.
The fighter jet, valued at around $60 million, is typically moved around the hangar deck to prepare for flight operations or maintenance. It remains unclear whether the Navy will attempt to recover the lost jet. An investigation into the incident is underway.
The USS Truman has been deployed to the Middle East for months, participating in intensified operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. US Central Command reports daily military strikes from fighter jets, bombers, ships, and drones as part of the campaign.
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth recently extended the Truman’s deployment by about a month as operations continue.
