Two US Navy Aircraft Crash in South China Sea, All Crew Safe

Published 4 hours ago

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Above: An infographic of a crash between an MH-60R Sea Hawk and F/A-18F Super Hornet from the USS Nimitz over the South China Sea on Oct. 27, 2025. Image copyright: Efnan Ipsir/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-China narrative

U.S. military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea has created dangerous conditions that directly threaten maritime security. These crashes prove that America's aggressive show of force operations destabilize the entire region and put lives at risk unnecessarily.

South China Morning Post Global Times

Pro-establishment narrative

Naval aviation accidents happen during routine operations as carriers maintain critical freedom of navigation missions. The USS Nimitz was conducting legitimate operations in international waters to protect global trade routes used by one-third of maritime commerce worldwide.

The Wall Street Journal Fortune