Premiere: How the crew of the US Army's AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz was saved
In a first, a US Navy surface maritime drone has located and rescued two crew members of a US Army Apache attack helicopter that crashed in waters off the coast of Oman, the US military said, and President Donald Trump said the pilots were “terrible”, Reuters reports.
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said the AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed at around 03:00 local time (23:00 GMT Monday) off the coast of Oman while conducting a patrol mission over regional waters.
So far, no explanation has been given for the crash of the military helicopter. The United States and Iran are in a fragile truce, with periodic clashes and Iranian drone and missile attacks on Washington's regional allies.
CENTCOM told Reuters that the rescue operation was carried out by a drone, but did not specify its model.
Task Force 59 of the US 5th Fleet, which operates in the region, is a unit that specializes in integrating unmanned systems and artificial intelligence into day-to-day maritime operations.
Speaking on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport before returning to Washington, Trump said “no one was hurt” and that the military was “relieved” in the incident related to the helicopter crash.
However, US Central Command used more cautious language to describe the condition of the two servicemen, saying they were in stable condition.
“The soldiers were safely rescued in about two hours and are in a stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation,” CETCOM added in a statement.
The publication The New York Times (NYT) revealed on Monday evening, citing two people familiar with the incident, that a US Army Apache attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz and that the two crew members were recovered alive.
The NYT noted that it was not immediately possible to determine whether the helicopter gunship was downed by Iranian fire or had a technical problem.
The US Air Force is using Apache helicopters, MQ-9 Reaper drones and F/A-18 and F-35 attack aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz military operation.
The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, which is armed with Hellfire missiles, is one of the most feared types of aircraft operating in the region. The aircraft is used to deter Iranian small craft attacks on ships in the strait and to shoot down Shahed drones.
