2 US Navy aircraft down in South China Sea —US Pacific Fleet

Two aircraft of the United States Navy went down in the waters of South China Sea on Sunday, according to the US Pacific Fleet on Monday.

In a statement, the US Pacific Fleet said an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter went down in the South China Sea in separate incidents during routine operations.

The five crew members are safe and in stable condition, according to the US Pacific Fleet.

“On October 26, 2025 at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68),” the US Pacific Fleet said.

Search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members, it added.

“Following the incident, separately, at 3:15 p.m., an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to the ‘Fighting Redcocks’ of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 also went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations from Nimitz,” the US Pacific Fleet said.

According to the US Pacific Fleet, both crew members successfully ejected and were also safely recovered by search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11.

“The cause of both incidents is currently under investigation,” the US Pacific Fleet said.

GMA News Online asked if the incidents happened within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) area but the US Pacific Fleet Public Affairs refused to disclose the location of the incident citing operational security reasons. 

Meanwhile, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told GMA News Online that they are checking if the two US Navy aircraft went down in the WPS area. —AOL, GMA Integrated News