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Two U.S. Navy pilots ejected safely after their F/A-18 fighter jet was downed in a suspected "friendly fire" incident above the Red Sea, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Sunday.
Both pilots were successfully recovered, with one sustaining minor injuries.
The F/A-18 had been operating from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman when it was mistakenly hit by the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, a part of the Truman Carrier Strike Group.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation by CENTCOM, which has emphasized that such incidents are rare, especially considering these assets are communicating with each other and are fitted with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems.
The incident comes against a backdrop of rising tensions in the Red Sea, with frequent confrontations involving Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Handout videos from CENTCOM as US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen's capital
The Red Sea serves as a critical maritime route for global trade, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal. Disruptions in this corridor have far-reaching economic and geopolitical consequences.
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