A US fighter jet and helicopter crashed within 30 minutes of each other, sparking a frantic rescue mission.
Both aircrafts came down over the South China Sea on Sunday.
The F/A-18F Super Hornet jet and Sea Hawk helicopter came down during a routine operation.
The MH-60R Sea Hawk, which costs between $40 and $400 million, crashed at around 2:45pm before the Super Hornet came down half an hour later.
The Super Hornet was part of the Fighting Redcocks of Strike Fighter Squadron 22, the Pacific Fleet announced.
Both were carrying out operations from the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
The crashes were described as “very unusual” by US president Donald Trump.
He speculated that a fuel issue could be behind the crashes.
“They think it might be bad fuel,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
“We’re gonna find out. Nothing to hide, sir.”
The US Navy has lost four F/A-18 jets this year.
The F/A-18 was first flown by the Navy in 1978 and can reach top speeds of Mach 1.8 – which is almost 1,200 mph. But, the Super Hornet entered service in 1999.
The plane is powered by two turbofan engines and has a range of more than 2,000 miles.
The two people on board the F/A-18F Super Hornet jet ejected, as were those on board the helicopter.
All crew personnel are in a stable condition.
The Nimitz has been in the South China Sea since October 17 and is on its final deployment.
The vessel, which is the Navy’s oldest aircraft carrier, will be retired in May 2026.
It can carry up to 130 F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets.
Earlier this year, an F/A-18E Super Hornet fell overboard into the Red Sea.
The plane was being towed on the aircraft carrier, the USS Harry Truman, which had to make a sharp turn.
The ship was trying to evade fire from Houthi rebels at the time.
The aircraft went overboard after personnel lost control of it.
A tow tractor was also lost in the mishap.
Meanwhile, Trump is said to be spearheading efforts for a new fleet of warships.
This is being dubbed as the Golden Fleet, as per the Wall Street Journal.
Plans are being crafted for a new fleet of ships that are fitted with long-range missiles.
The White House and Pentagon officials have discussed the possibility that the new fleet could carry hypersonic missiles.
Meanwhile, experts have warned about the threat that China poses to the US.
“The Chinese shipbuilding capacity is something like 200 times overall that of the United States,” maritime expert Nick Childs told the BBC in August.
US defense chiefs have estimated the People’s Liberation Army Navy has 370 ships.
The Pentagon fears this number could rise to 435 by 2030.
