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U.S. Pilots Escape Friendly Fire Incident
Two Navy pilots ejected safely into the Red Sea on Sunday after their F/A-18 fighter jet was mistakenly shot down by a U.S. guided-missile cruiser, the USS Gettysburg.
The Gettysburg, part of a carrier strike group, fired on the aircraft, which was operating from the USS Harry S. Truman. One pilot sustained minor injuries.
Military officials have labeled the incident as a case of friendly fire and have launched a thorough investigation.
The U.S. Navy has been patrolling the Red Sea for over a year to protect commercial ships from attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Just hours before the friendly fire incident, U.S. forces had conducted airstrikes against Houthi targets and shot down several unmanned aerial vehicles. The operation involved F/A-18 aircraft similar to the one that was mistakenly shot down.