Two Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in friendly fire incident

Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday by one of their own ships in what military officials said was a friendly fire incident over the Red Sea during an operation against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

Both pilots ejected from their F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet and were recovered safely, with one suffering minor injuries, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18, which was flying off the USS Harry S. Truman,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

“A full investigation is underway,” it added.

The Truman carrier group was dispatched to the Middle East on Dec. 15 as the Pentagon stepped up operations against the Houthis, whose attacks and missiles have disrupted shipping lanes  across the Red Sea.