The USS Harry S. Truman during flight operations recently. Photo: US Navy.
THE US Navy has confirmed that an F-18E Super Hornet fighter jet and tow tractor fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier.
A statement from the US Navy out of Manama, Bahrain, on Monday (US time) confirmed that only one sailor sustained a minor injury.
The Navy says the aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 onboard the carrier in the Red Sea on April 28 (local time).
The carrier is the flagship for a strike group that also comprises of nine aerial squadrons, three guided-missile destroyers and the cruiser USS Gettysburg.
“All personnel are accounted for with one sailor sustaining a minor injury,” a navy statement read.
“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft,” it added.
“The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard.”
The navy says sailors towing the aircraft immediately moved move clear of the aircraft as it fell overboard.
“An investigation is under way,” the navy statement says.
Some overseas media reports say that the carrier had to make a hard turn to avoid fire from Houthi rebels in Yemen at the time.
AIRSTRIKES AGAINST REBELS
The US is currently carrying out airstrikes against the rebels and reportedly killed at least 68 African migrants in a recent airstrike on what rebels say was a detention centre in Yemen.
The US, in turn, claims to have destroyed weapons, manufacturing and command facilities but is not elaborating.
American media outlet CNN reports that the Truman has been repeatedly targeted in attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis previously.
In February, it collided with a merchant ship near Egypt with no injuries reported.
Another F/A-18 from the Truman was also “mistakenly fired” upon and shot down by the USS Gettysburg in the Red Sea in December; both pilots managed to eject safely.
The carrier strike group with its aircraft remain fully mission capable, the US Navy says.
