- US helicopter crew rescued by unmanned vessel after crash.
- Soldiers recovered safely off Oman during patrol, now stable.
- Trump alleged Iran caused crash, authorizing retaliatory strikes.
- Unmanned Corsair vessel performed rescue, highlighting autonomous tech.
Two crew members of a US Army helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday were rescued by an American unmanned sea vessel, marking the first publicly acknowledged use of such technology in a real-life rescue mission.
According to US Central Command (Centcom), the two soldiers were recovered safely within nearly two hours after their AH-64 Apache helicopter went down off the coast of Oman while conducting patrol operations in regional waters. Officials said both personnel are in stable condition.
Iran Brought Down The Helicopter: Trump
US President Donald Trump alleged that Iran was responsible for bringing down the helicopter during its patrol mission in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Following the incident, he authorised retaliatory strikes targeting locations inside Iran.
The rescue operation was carried out using a US Navy Corsair unmanned surface vessel operated by Task Force 59, a Bahrain-based unit focused on integrating autonomous systems with traditional military operations to strengthen maritime security across the Middle East.
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins said the drone located the stranded soldiers after they had spent close to two hours in the water.
Built by Texas-based defence firm Saronic Technologies, the 24-foot Corsair vessel resembles a high-speed boat and is capable of travelling over 1,000 nautical miles while carrying payloads of up to 1,000 pounds. The vessel can reach speeds of up to 35 knots.
The US Navy had awarded Saronic Technologies a production contract worth $392 million in December 2025 for the manufacturing of Corsair autonomous maritime vessels.
Centcom said the rescue mission involved coordination between US Naval Forces Central Command, the 82nd Airborne Division, and several US Air Force and Navy units, including Task Force 59 under the US 5th Fleet.
