FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two California-based U.S. Navy aircraft crashed Sunday in separate incidents while conducting routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea.

An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73, based at Naval Air Station North Island near San Diego, went down at about 2:45 p.m. local time.

All three crew members were safely recovered by search and rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11.

About 30 minutes later, an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 22, known as the "Fighting Redcocks", and based at Naval Air Station Lemoore in Central California, also crashed in the waters while operating from the Nimitz.

Both crew members ejected and were rescued, the statement

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