US Military Apache Helicopter Falls, 2 Pilots Evacuated Near Strait of Hormuz

JAKARTA - US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that two US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots were rescued near the Strait of Hormuz after their helicopter crashed near the coast of Oman on Monday night.

An American official told ABC News that the pilots were rescued by an unmanned surface vessel that picked them up and brought them ashore.

The pilots were rescued within about two hours, CENTCOM said in a post on X. The Apache helicopter was "patrolling in the regional waters" when the incident occurred, CENTCOM said.

"The cause of the incident is being investigated," the statement continued.

The rescue effort is led by the US Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with support from US Air Force and Navy units including Task Force 59 of the US 5th Fleet.

Task Force 59 is the Navy's first drone task force.

Task Force 59 uses various types of unmanned aircraft. According to a US official, the drone used for the rescue of the Apache pilot has a design like a speedboat.