U.S. Navy recovers F/A-18F Super Hornet and MH‑60R Seahawk sunk off USS Nimitz in South China Sea

On Dec. 5, 2025 the U.S. Navy recovered an F/A-18F Super Hornet and an MH‑60R Seahawk that sank in the South China Sea after separate October 26 crashes from USS Nimitz. Both aircraft went down within about 30 minutes; salvage teams retrieved wreckage to prevent compromise.

Discovered 2025-12-08T20:33:56.491830-08:00 | 2025-12-08T20:33:56.491830-08:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Recovery secures sensitive airframes and systems that sank after the Oct. 26 incidents; salvage teams were mobilized and the USNS Salvor began recovery operations earlier in the campaign (see report on salvage teams mobilized: https://hype.aero/?story=0f84c390-0591-404f-8da8-99c443d5ff27).
  • Both aircraft crashed within roughly 30 minutes during USS Nimitz flight operations and all personnel were rescued — the losses were first reported following the Oct. 26 incidents (initial crash report: https://hype.aero/?story=a5806176-29cf-494a-a640-9825d374222a).
  • The recoveries will factor into assessments of carrier air wing readiness and mishap causation, alongside recent Navy findings that identified training, procedural and communication shortfalls in other carrier mishaps (see Navy investigative findings: https://hype.aero/?story=97da7619-403d-4272-af62-be2737481312).

Reported By

marinecorpstimes.com Military Times maritime-executive.com forcaaerea.com.br news.ssbcrack.com zona-militar.com
Sources Tracked
13
First Seen
2025-12-08T20:33:56.491830-08:00
Latest Update
2025-12-10T12:47:46.707892-08:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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