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A United States Navy helicopter and a fighter jet crashed within 30 minutes of each other on Sunday during separate routine operations over the South China Sea, the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet said. All crew members were safely rescued. The US Navy has opened an investigation into the causes of both crashes, which occurred over one of the world’s most contested waterways. US President Donald Trump called the back-to-back crashes “very unusual” and suggested a possible fuel issue while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. “They think it might be bad fuel. We’re gonna find out. Nothing to hide, sir,” Trump said in response to a question. According to a Navy statement on social media, an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter went down around 2:45 p.m. local time while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Search-and-rescue teams recovered all three crew members. About half an hour later, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet also crashed while operating from the USS Nimitz. Both pilots ejected and were safely rescued, the Navy said. The F/A-18 is the fourth fighter jet the US Navy has lost this year. The South China Sea remains one of the most strategic and disputed areas in the world, claimed in part by several Southeast Asian nations. China continues to assert ownership over nearly the entire region, despite a 2016 international court ruling rejecting its claims. Over the past two decades, China has built military installations on artificial islands and reefs in the area. The US Navy maintains a regular presence in the region to uphold freedom of navigation and support allied nations. The twin aircraft crashes occurred as Trump toured Asia ahead of a planned meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, where trade talks were expected to dominate discussions. Relations between Washington and Beijing have recently cooled after both countries imposed new trade measures. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the US had reached a framework trade agreement with China, easing tensions ahead of the summit. Earlier this year, the US Navy lost two other F/A-18s in the Red Sea — one fell overboard from an aircraft carrier, and another experienced a landing malfunction. A third crashed off the coast of Virginia during a training flight in August. The USS Nimitz, one of the world’s largest warships and the oldest active US aircraft carrier, is scheduled to be retired next year. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
