US F-18 fighter jet sinks in Red Sea after Houthi attack
Photo: A US Navy F-18 fighter jet sinks after a Houthi attack (Getty Images)
A US Navy F-18 fighter jet sinks into the Red Sea after Houthis attacked the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. One sailor was lightly injured in the incident, CNN reports.
The US Navy has reported that an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet lost its power at sea after it fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier while being towed.
The incident occurred when the Truman made a sharp turn to avoid Houthis attacking the aircraft carrier in the Red Sea.
According to a US official, the plane was being actively towed in a hangar when the crew lost control.
As a result, the fighter jet and the towing vehicle fell overboard. The Navy noted that the personnel on board were accounted for, and one sailor was lightly injured. Immediately after the incident, the sailors took safety measures and retreated from the plane.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, claimed to have attacked the aircraft carrier with drones and missiles. However, the exact details of the maneuver that Truman made to avoid fire have not been made public.
Witnesses reported that the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, which Truman belongs to, can make sharp turns even at high speed.
A second US official confirmed that the plane sank and added that the cost of one F/A-18 fighter jet exceeds $60 million. An investigation into the incident is underway.
Attacks in Red Sea
US President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against Yemen, as the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea.
It was also a signal to Iran, as the American leader intends to conclude a deal to ensure that Tehran does not have nuclear weapons.
White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said that the US strikes targeted and eventually killed several Houthi leaders.
