F/A-18 Jet Falls Into Red Sea as USS Truman Evades Yemeni Fire
F/A-18 Super Hornet and tow tractor fall overboard from USS Harry S. Truman amid ongoing confrontations with Yemeni forces
Yemen, PUREWILAYAH.COM - On April 28, 2025, the U.S. Navy lost an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet along with a tow tractor from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, which was stationed in the Red Sea amid ongoing confrontations with Yemeni forces.
The Navy confirmed the incident on Monday, revealing that the fighter jet fell overboard after the crew lost control while towing it within the carrier’s hangar. One sailor sustained a minor injury.
US Navy Jet Lost During Evasive Action
“The F/A-18 fighter Super Hornet jet, along with the vehicle towing it into place on the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman, rolled right out of the hangar and into the water,” the Navy said.
Unnamed US officials told CNN the ship was swerving to avoid incoming fire from Yemeni forces, performing zig-zag maneuvers that caused it to list to one side.
An official account of the ship’s movements was awaited on Tuesday as an investigation was underway.
Tow Operation Gone Wrong
“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard,” the Navy said. The jet was part of Strike Fighter Squadron 136.
The crew members who were in the pilot seat of the Super Hornet and on the small towing tractor both jumped out before the jet and the tug went into the Red Sea. Fighter jets are routinely towed around the hangar deck to park where they are needed.
USS Harry Truman: A Target for Yemen
The Yemeni Armed Forces have been engaging the massive US warship for the past year after declaring Yemen a support front for Gaza.
Since then, Yemen has been targeted with hundreds of airstrikes and ceaseless aggression, including attacks that have severely impacted its civilian population. In response, the Ansar Allah resistance movement has successfully targeted the vessel and its supporting group.
In their latest operation, the Yemeni Armed Forces' naval, drone, and missile units targeted the Truman carrier in coordinated strikes using a combination of ballistic and cruise missiles, along with several UAVs, forcing the vessel to withdraw from the area. (PW)