WASHINGTON (FN) — President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States does not suspect foul play in two separate crashes involving U.S. Navy aircraft in the South China Sea over the weekend, suggesting faulty fuel may be to blame.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he had been briefed on the incidents involving a fighter jet and a helicopter operating from the USS Nimitz. “They think it might be bad fuel,” Trump said. “We’re gonna find out. Nothing to hide.”
The crashes occurred within 30 minutes of each other on Sunday during routine operations. An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet both went down in the waters off the aircraft carrier Nimitz. All five crew members were rescued and are in stable condition, according to Navy officials.
The Navy has launched a formal investigation into the incidents, which took place in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive maritime regions. The South China Sea has long been a flashpoint for tensions between the U.S. and China, with both nations conducting military exercises and asserting territorial claims.
The USS Nimitz, one of the Navy’s oldest and most storied aircraft carriers, had recently completed a deployment in the Middle East and was transiting through the South China Sea as part of a scheduled rotation. The back-to-back crashes have raised concerns about equipment reliability and operational safety.
Pentagon officials said preliminary assessments point to a possible issue with aviation fuel supplied during a recent port stop in Guam. Samples are being tested for contamination, though officials cautioned that multiple factors could be involved.
Naval aviation experts noted that simultaneous crashes involving different aircraft types are extremely rare and could indicate systemic issues. Maintenance logs, flight data, and crew interviews are being reviewed as part of the investigation.
The incidents come amid heightened U.S. military activity in the Indo-Pacific region, where Washington has increased its presence to counter growing Chinese influence. The Navy has emphasized that operations will continue as planned despite the setbacks.
Trump said he expects a full report from the Department of Defense within days. “We’ve got the best people looking into it,” he said. “We’ll get answers soon.”
