US Navy Pilots Eject Safely After Fighter Jet Shot Down In Apparent 'Friendly Fire' Over Red Sea

Two US Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea early Sunday in "an apparent case of friendly fire," the American military said.

Both pilots were recovered alive but "initial assessments indicate that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries," the United States Central Command said late Saturday local Florida time -- where CENTCOM is headquartered.

"This incident was not the result of hostile fire, and a full investigation is underway."

CENTCOM said the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg "mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18" fighter aircraft, which was flown by the Navy pilots off another ship, the USS Harry S. Truman.