A second F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman has been lost in the Red Sea just over a week after the first incident, according to five sources familiar with the matter.
The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, but two of the sources said the incident involved an arrestment failure as the jet attempted to land on the carrier. The pilot and the weapons systems officer were forced to eject and were later recovered by a rescue helicopter. Both sustained only minor injuries, one source confirmed.
The aircraft crashed into the sea and has not yet been recovered, according to two individuals with knowledge of the incident.
Separately, the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group reportedly took a shot at the Truman on Tuesday just hours after President Donald Trump announced what was believed to be a ceasefire with the group, four sources said. It remains unclear whether the attempted attack is connected to the fighter jet incident.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense referred all inquiries to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Central Command. CNN has reached out to both for comment.
This marks the second F/A-18 lost from the Truman in a week. In the previous case, the aircraft reportedly fell overboard after the carrier executed a hard turn to evade incoming Houthi fire.
Each F/A-18 fighter jet costs over $60 million, according to the Navy.
U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea have come under frequent Houthi fire since the group began targeting maritime shipping in the region in November 2023. In early 2024, a U.S. destroyer had to activate its Phalanx Close In Weapon System the Navy’s last line of missile defense when a Houthi-fired cruise missile came within a mile of impact.
The Truman itself has faced a string of operational issues during its Red Sea deployment. In December, another F/A-18 jet launched from the carrier was mistakenly targeted and shot down by the USS Gettysburg, crashing into the sea. Both aviators survived after ejecting.
In February, the Truman was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea. Following that incident, then-commanding officer Captain Dave Snowden was relieved of duty. He was replaced by Captain Christopher Hill shortly thereafter.
