A Navy F/A-18 Hornet crashed into the Philippine Sea on Nov. 12, said the military in a statement.
Both of its pilots ejected, were rescued, and are in good condition, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet wrote in the statement. The plane crashed due to an unspecified “mechanical issue” while “conducting routine operations in the Philippine Sea,” the statement read.
“The crew was immediately and safely recovered by USS Ronald Reagan search and rescue aircraft and brought back to the ship for evaluation by medical personnel. Both aviators are in good condition,” the Navy wrote.
Officials said the USS Ronald Reagan has resumed normal operations.
The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the guided-missile destroyer USS Milius,center , center, conduct a photo exercise with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships. . (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaila V. Peters/Released)The crash is currently under investigation.
The F/A-18 “is embarked onboard Ronald Reagan and is currently underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” the Navy said.
It’s the second crash involving an aircraft belonging to the USS Ronald Reagan in less than one month, The Associated Press reported. In October, an MH-60 Seahawk crashed after taking off, causing injuries to about a dozen Navy sailors.
The crash occurred in the Pacific Ocean near Guam during a joint exercise known as “Keen Sword” along with Japan and Canada.
As a fighter and attack aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet can carry a wide array of bombs and missiles, including air-to-air and air-to-ground. It also has a 20-mm M61 Vulcan cannon.
The Hornet saw combat action in the 1986 bombing mission in Libya and later saw extensive action in the 1991 Persian Gulf War as well as the 2003 war in Iraq.
