Two crew members of a US army helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday were rescued by an American sea drone, US officials have told CBS News, the BBC’s media partner.
It was the first such operation carried out by US forces, the officials added.
In its statement on Tuesday, Centcom said :
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 Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Rescue efforts were led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with support from U.S. Air Force and Navy units including U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59.
The military officials who spoke to CBS News said the pair had been rescued by an unmanned surface drone that was operated by Task Force 59.
In 2024, Task Force 59 launched a new unit focusing on “the operational deployment of unmanned systems teamed with manned operators to bolster maritime security across the Middle East region”.
The remotely piloted 7.3-metre Saronic Corsair was deployed near the Strait of Hormuz after an Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down, a spokesman for US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Two crew members had been patrolling off the coast of Oman when their helicopter was struck.
They were floating at the crash site for about two hours before being picked up by the drone, according to CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins.
“They were then hoisted up to a helicopter for further transport,”
Captain Hawkins said.
Drone boats have been increasingly used in recent conflicts in various roles.
Analysts say the use of the Corsair in the high-stakes operation was another example of the growing importance of the vessels in modern warfare.
What is the Corsair Drone?
Corsair, built by US company Saronic Technologies, is part of the Pentagon’s push to expand the use of unmanned vehicles alongside traditional military assets.
The drone can travel at speeds of up to 35 knots, or about 65km/h. The vessel has a speedboat-like design that was unveiled in 2024.
The manufacturer says it can carry a load of up to 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) and has a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles.