Two US Navy pilots shot down in apparent ‘friendly fire’ incident

Author: AFP

Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the U.S military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become over the ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.

The U.S. military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen´s Houthi rebels at the time, though the U.S. military´s Central Command did not elaborate on what their mission was and did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.

The F/A-18 shot down had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Central Command said. On Dec. 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had entered the Mideast, but hadn’t specified that the carrier and its battle group was in the Red Sea.

“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” Central Command said in a statement.

From the military’s description, the aircraft shot down was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Business

Pakistan-Romania business delegation meets Presidential Advisor to boost trade

A delegation from the Pakistan Romania Business Council (PRBC) met with Legal Affairs Advisor to…

5 mins ago
  • Business

Pakistan joins fossil-fuel non-proliferation coalition to embrace a renewable energy future

Pakistan has joined a coalition of climate-vulnerable countries advocating for a global fossil-fuel non-proliferation treaty,…

5 mins ago
  • Business

High remittances flow crucial in financing deficit, debt repayments

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FPCCI) Businessmen Panel (BMP) has said…

5 mins ago
  • Business

Small industry needs govt special focus to generate employment: APBF

The All Pakistan Business Forum (APBF) has said that the value-added small industry should be…

6 mins ago
  • Business

PITB team visits SCCI

A team of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) visited Business Facilitation Centre (BFC), and Sialkot…

6 mins ago
  • Business

China, Pakistan share latest non-wood forestry findings

Chinese and Pakistani academic achievements in resistant rootstocks for economic forests and grafted and fodder…

7 mins ago