US aircraft carrier urgently dodges Houthi fire, causing F/A-18 fighter jets to fall into the sea
Apr 29, 2025
Washington [US], April 29: An F/A-18 fighter aboard the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier on an anti-Houthi mission has crashed into the Red Sea.
The U.S. Navy announced on April 28 that the F/A-18 fighter, worth more than $67 million (1,742 billion VND) according to 2021 figures, crashed from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman into the Red Sea while being towed on deck.
CNN quoted a US official as saying that the ship was turning sharply to avoid Houthi fire, causing the F/A-18 fighter to be thrown into the sea.
"The F/A-18E was being towed in the parking area when the transport crew lost control of the aircraft. Planes and trailers fell from the ship. The crew towing the plane took immediate action to leave the plane before it fell off the ship. An investigation is ongoing," the U.S. Navy announced. Another official said the plane had sunk.
The Houthi forces in Yemen announced on April 28 that they had launched an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a missile to attack a US aircraft carrier in the Red Sea. A sailor on board suffered minor injuries after the incident.
The Truman aircraft carrier battle group is on duty in the Red Sea and has been continuously attacked by the Houthis in recent times. In February, the ship collided with a cargo ship near Egypt but no one was injured. In December 2024, an F/A-18 from the Truman was mistakenly shot down by the US cruiser USS Gettysburg in the Red Sea and crashed into the sea, and both parachute pilots escaped safely.
Also related to military losses, a U.S. official said Washington has lost a total of seven MQ-9 Reaper UAVs in Yemen since March 15. According to AFP, the official did not specify the cause of the crash. The MQ-9 is an aircraft used for reconnaissance and attack missions. Each is worth about $30 million.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
