Two US Navy pilots shot down in 'friendly fire' incident over Red Sea

Washington, USA

Two US Navy pilots were shot down on Sunday (Dec 22) in a "friendly fire" incident over the Red Sea, according to the US military. Both the pilots ejected and survived, with one sustaining minor injuries. In this apparent incident, US forces targeted Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been the biggest danger to American troops in the region for over a year.

The US Central Command issued a statement confirming a "friendly fire" incident over 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, which was flying off the USS Harry S Truman," it said.

Accidental fire 

The pilots were flying a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. The USS Gettysburg, which is a guided missile cruiser, fortuitously fired the missile that brought the jet down.

“It’s unclear how such an error occurred,” the U.S. military’s Central Command stated. Generally in a strike group, vessels and aircraft communicate via radar and radio to refrain from mistakes like these.

Also Read: Indian Navy's fighter jet MiG 29K crashes in Goa due to an unknown 'technical malfunction' 

Red Sea tensions reach breaking point.

The Red Sea has become a hive of violence escalation, with the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels baiting the merchant and military vessels. The US forces were responding to missile and drone attacks launched by the Houthis before the shootdown happened.

The US airstrikes hit Houthi sites in Yemen on Saturday night, including a missile storage facility and a command and control centre.

Later, the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for bringing down the US jet.

The Houthi attacks have sunk two ships, killed four sailors, and damaged others.

Watch | Nepal Plane Crash: 18 killed in Kathmandu's plane crash, pilot survives

Increasing Houthi aggression

Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, the Houthis have launched over 100 attacks on ships, stating that they target vessels linked to Israel, the US, and the UK. Although many of these ships have no direct ties to the conflict.

Despite US and European military patrols in the Red Sea, the region remains erratic.

The incident highlights the risk factor of operating in such tense conditions. Central Command noted that Houthi missile and drone fire often leaves sailors with only seconds to react, leading to risks of errors like this.

(With inputs from agencies)