CNN: The US has lost its second fighter jet in a row. Another one fell into the sea from an aircraft carrier
F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet (Photo: US Navy)

The United States has lost another F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, which is based in the Red Sea as part of a U.S. military operation in the Middle East. This is the second crash of a plane from the Harry S. Truman in the past 10 days, CNN reported , citing five people familiar with the situation.

As the TV channel reported, the causes of the incident are currently unknown, and an investigation is ongoing.

According to two media sources, the plane experienced a braking failure while landing on the aircraft carrier and fell into the sea.

The pilot and weapons systems officer ejected and were rescued by helicopter. Both suffered minor injuries.

Separately, four people told CNN that the Iranian-backed Houthi group "fired a shot" at the aircraft carrier on May 6. It is unclear whether the attack was related to the plane crash.

It is noted that the alleged Houthi shooting occurred a few hours after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with the group.

The loss of the fighter came ten days after another F/A-18 crashed overboard the Truman , the result of a Houthi missile strike on the aircraft carrier.

Boeing's Super Hornet has been widely used by the United States since 2001, with each aircraft costing about $67 million, according to the Naval Air Systems Command.

  • Yemen's Houthis are Hamas' allies in the war with Israel. Since Yemen and Israel do not share a border, the Houthis have declared a naval blockade on it and have begun shelling and seizing ships in the Red Sea, putting trade through the Suez Canal at risk.
  • On December 19, 2023, the United States, during Biden's term, announced the launch of a multinational operation involving 10 countries to secure shipping in the Red Sea.
  • On January 22, Trump signed an executive order re-designating Yemen's Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization .
  • On March 15, Trump ordered the US military to strike Houthi militants in Yemen.