A U.S. Army helicopter operating near the coast of Oman went down Monday evening, prompting a rescue operation that successfully recovered both crew members, according to U.S. Central Command, as reported by Fox News.
The incident involved a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter that was patrolling regional waters when it went down near Oman's coastline. Officials said the two soldiers aboard were rescued by American forces and are in stable condition.
CENTCOM announced the rescue in a statement posted Tuesday morning on X.
"At 7:33 p.m. ET on June 8, two crew members from a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache were rescued by American forces after their helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters," the statement said.
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Military officials noted that the rescue operation was completed within approximately two hours of the aircraft going down.
"The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation," the statement continued.
CENTCOM said rescue efforts were conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with additional support from U.S. Air Force and Navy assets, including U.S. 5th Fleet Task Force 59.
Before CENTCOM released its statement, President Donald Trump addressed the incident while speaking with reporters prior to boarding Air Force One.
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"The pilots are fine," Trump said when asked about reports of the helicopter going down.
The president also stated that there were no injuries resulting from the incident.
"Nobody injured," Trump said.
He added that additional information would be released soon.
"We are gonna issue a report tomorrow," he said, again emphasizing that "the pilots are fine."
The helicopter incident occurred as U.S. forces continue operations connected to an ongoing blockade targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran. American military assets have maintained a heightened presence in the region as tensions remain elevated.
On June 8, CENTCOM also announced action involving a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
"U.S. forces disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, June 8, after the vessel violated the ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port," a CENTCOM press release stated.
According to the military, the Palau-flagged tanker M/T Marivex was traveling through international waters toward Iran when U.S. forces intervened.
"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T Marivex as it transited international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran. An F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces. Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran," the release stated.
CENTCOM also provided updated figures regarding the enforcement of the blockade that began on April 13.
"CENTCOM forces have disabled seven non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13," the military command said.
The cause of the Apache helicopter incident remains under investigation. Military officials have not indicated whether weather, mechanical issues, or other factors may have contributed to the aircraft going down.
For now, officials say both soldiers were rescued safely and remain in stable condition as investigators work to determine exactly what happened off the coast of Oman.
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