Two Navy pilots were forced to eject from their aircraft on Monday evening whilst the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was stationed off the Virginia coast, requiring immediate rescue from the water. Both pilots were recovered and returned to the carrier for medical evaluation, whilst four ship personnel were also injured in the incident, with one sailor hospitalised for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The specific cause of the mishap remains unclear, and the aircraft type has not been confirmed.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:18pm during the carrier's early qualifications phase, just months after the vessel completed repairs in July. The USS Eisenhower operates two types of two-seat carrier aircraft—the F/A-18F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler—though it is unknown which was involved. This occurrence comes amid broader concerns about Navy personnel welfare following a mental health crisis on the USS Abraham Lincoln, where eight sailors attempted suicide after a record 280-day deployment marked by poor conditions.