Bremerton-based Navy carrier loses 2 aircraft near China

A Bremerton-based aircraft carrier lost two aircraft while operating at South China Sea on Sunday, the Navy said.

On Oct. 26, at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, a U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 went down in the waters of the South China Sea, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement that day. The helicopter was conducting routine operations from the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) aircraft carrier, and search and rescue assets assigned to Carrier Strike Group 11 safely recovered all three crew members.