A U.S Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18 fighter went down during routine operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea on Sunday, the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

All crew members were recovered, it said.

Why It Matters

The South China Sea is a a vital shipping lane for international trade and is rich in oil, gas and fisheries and is also a flashpoint between China and several of its neighbours.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea , overlapping with claims of U.S. ally the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

Since 1979, the U.S. Navy has routinely sent ships and aircraft to challenge what Washington deems excessive maritime claims and it maintains its presence in the disputed sea to uphold the lawful use of the waterway and international

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