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Trump says pilots are fine after U.S. helicopter crashes near Strait of Hormuz

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− By The Associated Press President Donald Trump talks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at John F.
+ By The Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at John F.
− Kennedy International Airport in New York, early Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
+ Kennedy International Airport in New York, early Tuesday.
− Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A U.S.
+ Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump blamed Iran for downing a U.S.
− Army helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, but President Donald Trump said the two crew members aboard were not injured in the incident near the strategic waterway that Iran has effectively closed during the war.
+ Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday and said the United States must respond to the attack.
− Middle East conflict After trading missile fire, Israel and Iran pull back — for now What caused the crash remained unclear Tuesday morning in the Middle East, which was still reeling after Iran and Israel exchanged fire the previous day in the biggest blow yet to the straining ceasefire in the Iran war.
+ Middle East conflict After trading missile fire, Israel and Iran pull back — for now A drone boat rescued two Army aviators who were aboard the Apache attack helicopter when it went down near the waterway that Iran has effectively closed during its war with the U.S.
− Iranian state television reported Tuesday the Israeli attacks killed at least two members of the country's air defense units.
+ and Israel. Trump said in a social media post that both service members "are safe and uninjured." Middle East conflict Trump confirms calling Netanyahu 'crazy,' says they still get along "Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack," Trump wrote.
− Since the U.S.
+ The helicopter went down as the Middle East was still reeling after Iran and Israel exchanged fire the previous day in the biggest blow yet to the strained ceasefire in the Iran war.
+ Iranian state television reported Tuesday that the Israeli attacks killed at least two members of the country's air-defense units. Lebanese security officers gather at the site where an Israeli airstrike hit a building in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Sunday, June 7, 2026. Hassan Ammar/AP hide caption Since the U.S.
and Israel began striking Iran on Feb. 28, the war has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world and made many basics, including food, more expensive.
−
+
Officials have been unable to turn the April ceasefire into a deal to permanently end the conflict, particularly as Israel intensifies and expands its military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah.
− Trump, speaking to journalists at John F.
+ The crash happened about 3:30 a.m.
− Kennedy International Airport in New York after watching the NBA Finals on Monday night, acknowledged the crash.
+ local time Tuesday off the coast of Oman while the helicopter was on a patrol, U.S. Central Command said.
− "The pilots are fine.
+ An unmanned boat located the two aviators after they spent about two hours in the water, said Capt.
− Yeah," Trump said.
+ Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S.
− "Nobody injured.
+ Central Command.
− We are going to issue a report tomorrow.
+ He said it was the first known drone rescue at sea by the U.S.
− But the pilots are fine." The New York Times first reported that a U.S.
+ military. Military officials did not say what caused the Apache helicopter to go down, saying the crash was under investigation.
− Army Apache attack helicopter went down near the strait in unclear circumstances.
+ Trump said he had just learned Iran was responsible before posting his accusation Tuesday. AH-64 Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the American military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to pressure Tehran into a deal.
− The U.S. military's Central Command and the Defense Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.
+ The helicopters have also been used by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones.
− Apache helicopters have been a key asset for the American military as it enforces a blockade on Iranian crude oil shipments and tankers, seeking to pressure Tehran into reaching a deal.
+ The drone used to perform the rescue was a 24-foot (7.3-meter) vessel called a Corsair, Hawkins said.
− The helicopters also have been used by the United Arab Emirates to shoot down Iranian drones during the Iran war.
+ It's manufactured by Saronic Technologies.
− Middle East conflict Trump confirms calling Netanyahu 'crazy,' says they still get along Trump insists an Iran deal is coming Trump also expressed renewed optimism over negotiations with Iran.
+ The drone was assigned to the Navy's Task Force 59, established in 2021 as the Navy's first uncrewed and artificial intelligence unit that focuses on maritime security in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal.
+ Before he accused Iran of downing the U.S. helicopter, Trump had expressed renewed optimism over negotiations with Iran.
"We have a good chance" of signing a deal in "two or three days," Trump said. But he didn't provide any details on why there was reason for new optimism.
− Trump has repeatedly predicted that a deal is near over the two months since the U.S.
+ In the two months since the U.S.
− and Iran agreed to an initial ceasefire.
+ and Iran agreed to an initial ceasefire, Trump has repeatedly predicted that a deal is near.
"We're very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal," the president said. "If we go and bomb — which we could do very easily if we want, and we spend another two or three weeks bombing — they'll have nothing left whatsoever. But you won't have the strait open for months." He added: "If we do the bombing, you know, a lot of people are going to be killed. Who wants to do that? I don't." Mediators, led predominantly by Pakistan, have been trying for weeks to get a deal across the line. However, both Iran and the U.S. have taken hard-line positions. The U.S.
− wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed still to be entombed in the country after American airstrikes in the 12-day war in 2025.
+ wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed to be entombed in the aftermath of American airstrikes that happened during the 12-day war in 2025.
But Iran is refusing that and demanding relief from sanctions. It also wants the release of frozen assets even before a final agreement is in place, something rejected by Trump.
− Before Trump's comments on negotiations, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Monday that Trump's remarks so far on a possible deal "contradicted the agreed-upon sections, showing that (the U.S.
+ Before Trump's comments on negotiations, Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Monday that Trump's remarks so far on a possible deal "contradicted the agreed-upon sections," showing that the U.S.
− is) neither seeking a ceasefire nor dialogue." The continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah remains a major Iranian priority as well.
+ is "neither seeking a ceasefire nor dialogue." The continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah is still a top Iranian priority as well.
Lebanon's army chief, Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, traveled to Pakistan on Tuesday. There, he met Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been a key figure in the Iran-U.S. talks.
− Haykal's visit comes as Lebanon's government takes an increasingly hard line on Hezbollah, but remains unable to disarm the powerful militia.
+ Haykal's visit comes as Lebanon's government takes an increasingly hard line on Hezbollah but remains unable to disarm the powerful militia.
− Hezbollah thanked Iran on Tuesday for attacking Israel "in defense of our Lebanese people," suggesting that the Lebanese government should take this opportunity to improve relations with Tehran.
+ Hezbollah thanked Iran on Tuesday for attacking Israel "in defense of our Lebanese people," suggesting that Lebanon's government should take this opportunity to improve relations with Tehran.
− Lebanese security officers gather at the site where an Israeli airstrike hit a building in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, Sunday, June 7, 2026. Hassan Ammar/AP hide caption Meanwhile Tuesday, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for Lebanon's southern port city of Tyre, including the Christian quarter, which has so far been spared in the destructive airstrikes on the port city.
+ Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for Lebanon's southern port city of Tyre, including the Christian quarter, which has so far been spared from airstrikes on the city.
Last week, Israel warned the Christian neighborhoods in Tyre that it believed Hezbollah members were among them. Many Lebanese Shiite Muslims fled to those areas as Israeli strikes hammered the Mediterranean coastal area over the past two weeks. After last week's warning, the Lebanese army deployed to the Christian district of Tyre in an effort to prevent Israeli attacks there and to show that Hezbollah has no armed presence in the area. But Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesperson, posted on X on Monday that the Israeli military "will have to act against their terrorist activities in the neighborhood soon." Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor