USS Truman Loses Another Fighter Jet in Red Sea Within Days

According to a defense official, a second F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet associated with the USS Harry S. Truman has been lost in the Red Sea within a span of eight days. Both pilots involved in the incident sustained only minor injuries.

The incident occurred as the fighter jet was attempting a landing on the USS Truman's flight deck. During the landing, a failure in the arresting gear, which is designed to quickly decelerate and stop aircraft landing on carriers, resulted in the jet sliding off the deck and into the sea.

Fortunately, the two pilots managed to safely eject and were subsequently rescued by a helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11. They were examined by medical staff who confirmed that they had suffered only minor injuries. Meanwhile, the carrier's flight deck crew remained unharmed.

Just last week, another fighter jet was inadvertently sent overboard from the Truman while it was being moved within the hangar bay. That incident also resulted in minor injuries to one sailor.

Officials initially suspected that the precarious maneuvering of the carrier, possibly in response to maneuvering away from threats posed by Yemen's Houthi militants, might have resulted in the jet's loss. However, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the latest jet was not shot or otherwise impacted by Houthi forces.

The USS Truman carrier group has encountered a series of unfortunate events since it was dispatched to the Middle East in late 2024. This includes an earlier incident in December where another fighter took off from the Truman and came to an unplanned stop far from safety.

On a related note, President Trump announced a deal wherein the Houthis, backed by Iran, had agreed to cease their attacks against vessels navigating the Red Sea lanes. These hostilities began following the attack by Hamas on Israel in early October.

This report was sourced from Eleanor Watson, a CBS News journalist focused on the Pentagon and its developments across various media platforms.