Pilots ‘are fine’ after U.S. military helicopter goes down over Strait of Hormuz, Trump says

BREAKING NEWSJun. 9, 2026, 5:43 AM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsPilots ‘are fine’ after U.S. military helicopter goes down over Strait of Hormuz, Trump saysIt was not immediately clear why the aircraft went down over the waterway. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman on May 25, 2026. A U.S. helicopter on Monday went down over the strait, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed, adding that the pilots "are fine."ReutersShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Dennis RomeroA U.S. military helicopter flying over the Strait of Hormuz went down Monday, but the two pilots on board “are fine,” President Donald Trump said.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.It’s unclear why the aircraft went down over the major shipping waterway, which has been a point of contention between the United States and Iran during their ongoing war. Trump, speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One early Tuesday, said “the pilots are fine” and that no one was injured in the incident.“We are going to issue a report tomorrow,” he said, “but the pilots are fine, yeah.” The incident was first reported by the New York Times.The strait, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally crosses, has remained virtually closed since the start of the war amid Iran’s blockade. The council of the European Union on Monday alleged Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy “undermines freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by enforcing a toll system and by threatening, harassing, and attacking multiple commercial vessels in the region.”Trump has vowed to keep the vital shipping lane. Speaking Tuesday about a potential peace deal with Iran, he told reporters that, “We’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal that will not allow in any way, shape or form nuclear weapons.”He added: “The strait will open up right away. It’ll...