US Navy deploys salvage ship to South China Sea for aircraft recovery operations

Both aircraft were assigned to squadrons deployed aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and were conducting routine operations from the ship when the twin incidents occurred.

All five crewmembers from the two aircraft were safely rescued later that day.

Commander Matthew Comer, a spokesman for the US Navy's Seventh Fleet headquartered in Japan, confirmed earlier this week that Salvor is already on-scene. However, the location where the recovery effort is being undertaken has not been disclosed.