A U.S. Navy fighter jet plunged into the Red Sea on Monday following an accident aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, according to a statement from the Navy.
The mishap occurred while the F/A-18E Super Hornet was being towed inside the carrier’s hangar bay. “The move crew lost control of the aircraft, resulting in both the jet and the tow tractor going overboard,” the Navy reported.
All personnel were accounted for, though one sailor sustained a minor injury. The USS Harry S. Truman and its air wing remain fully operational, and the cause of the incident is under investigation.
The F/A-18E Super Hornet, introduced in the early 2000s, carries a price tag of over $67 million per unit as of 2021, according to Navy data.
The Truman is currently one of two U.S. aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East, where American forces have been conducting strikes against Yemen’s Huthi rebels since mid-March to secure maritime shipping lanes in the region.
