Both crew members were rescued alive after a US Army AH-64 Apache went down near the Strait of Hormuz — the first Apache lost in the US-Iran conflict. Cause still unknown.
A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, with both crew members rescued by a U.S. Navy surface drone within approximately two hours, U.S. Central Command confirmed. The cause of the US Army Apache helicopter crash has not been determined.
President Donald Trump confirmed the pilots were safe early Tuesday, telling reporters at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York before boarding his return flight to Washington, D.C.:
“The pilots are fine. Yeah. Nobody injured. We are going to issue a report tomorrow. But the pilots are fine.”
— Donald Trump, JFK Airport, New York, June 9, 2026
Trump had attended the NBA Finals game in New York on Monday night before addressing the crash. The Trump administration had not publicly commented on the incident Monday night when The New York Times sought a response from the White House press office, according to the Times’s own reporting.
The gunship went down near the coast of Oman, according to CENTCOM. The two U.S. Army soldiers aboard were in stable condition after being pulled from the water.
“The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation.”
— U.S. Central Command
CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Timothy Hawkins said a U.S. Navy surface drone “found and rescued the crew from the water.”
The New York Times first reported the crash late Monday, citing two people briefed on the incident. It was not immediately clear whether the Apache was shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure, or encountered some other problem, the report said.
The First Apache Lost
The crash marks the first AH-64 Apache helicopter lost since the United States launched military operations against Iran on February 28, 2026. The loss occurred near the narrow chokepoint through which approximately 20 percent of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally transits daily — a waterway measuring roughly 34 kilometers at its narrowest point.
U.S. Army Apache helicopters have operated over the strait since March 19, 2026, when the United States launched an aerial campaign against Iranian naval targets to reopen the waterway. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine confirmed the platform’s role in a Pentagon press briefing that month:
“In addition, AH-64 Apaches have joined the fight on the southern flank, and they continue to work on the southern side. And that includes some of our allies who are using Apaches to handle one-way attack drones.”
— Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon press briefing, March 19, 2026
In May 2026, CENTCOM released photos of AH-64 Apache helicopters flying patrols over the strait, describing their mission as “providing a visible presence in support of freedom of navigation operations.” CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper confirmed the platform had been used in combat against Iranian surface threats:
“We have an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait, including AH-64 Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters used just this morning to eliminate six Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping.”
— Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander, press roundtable, May 2026
Fragile Ceasefire, Renewed Escalation
The crash came one day after Iran and Israel exchanged fire in the most significant escalation since the ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation on April 8, 2026. Trump appealed for a halt to the renewed strikes, and both sides briefly stood down.
Hours before the Apache went down on June 8, CENTCOM reported that an F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) struck a commercial tanker, the Marivex, in the Gulf of Oman after its crew failed to comply with orders from U.S. forces:
“An F-18 Hornet the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) targeted the vessel’s engineering and steering compartments with a precision strike after the crew did not follow orders from US forces. Marivex is no longer proceeding to Iran.”
— U.S. Central Command, via X, June 8, 2026
The same day, Trump told reporters that U.S.-Iran negotiations were advancing toward a resolution:
“I think it’s going well. We have a good chance of doing it. We should be able to do it in one hour if you want to know the truth. I don’t think there are any sticking points. I think we’re very…close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal.”
— Donald Trump, June 8, 2026
No party has established whether Iranian forces were responsible for the Apache’s loss. Iranian state media confirmed the crash, citing international reports, but provided no additional details. Iranian officials issued no formal claim of responsibility.
The Apache at Hormuz
The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, twin-crew, tandem-seat attack helicopter designed for multi-role combat operations in day, night, and adverse weather conditions. In the Strait of Hormuz theater, the platform has been employed with an armament suite that includes the AN/APG-78 Longbow mast-mounted radar, electro-optical and infrared sensors, an M230 30mm chain gun, AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank and anti-ship missiles, and APKWS-guided 70mm rockets. The aircraft has a maximum level flight speed exceeding 150 knots and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet, with a standard crew of two — a pilot and co-pilot/gunner in tandem seats.
The AH-64E variant has been demonstrated capable of detecting, tracking, and defeating drones using multiple onboard weapons systems — a capability central to countering the one-way attack drones and fast attack watercraft Iran and its proxies have deployed throughout the conflict.
Economic Stakes at the Chokepoint
The economics of the conflict have added urgency to every incident near the strait. Brent crude has risen by nearly 31 percent since hostilities began in late February 2026, according to market analysts, with prices spiking to nearly $120 a barrel at their peak before retreating. War risk insurance premiums for tankers transiting the waterway have climbed from approximately 0.25 percent of hull value before the conflict to as much as 5 percent, according to maritime industry reports. The International Monetary Fund warned in early June 2026 that global oil inventories are expected to sink to a five-year low by July 2026.
CENTCOM reported escorting approximately 70 commercial ships through the strait over the three weeks prior to June 2026, with most vessels traveling with their transponders disabled during what officials described as “dark” transits.
The Trump administration said it would issue a report on the Apache crash later Tuesday.
Key Takeaways
- A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache went down near the Strait of Hormuz on June 8, 2026; both crew members were rescued by a Navy surface drone within approximately two hours.
- President Trump confirmed the pilots were safe, saying “Nobody injured” at JFK Airport, New York, early Tuesday; the administration promised a full report later that day.
- The crash marks the first Apache lost in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict; the cause — Iranian hostile fire, mechanical failure, or another problem — remains under investigation.
- The incident occurred one day after the most serious Iran-Israel escalation since the April 8 ceasefire, and on the same day Trump said U.S.-Iran negotiations were “close” to a deal.
- Iran issued no formal claim of responsibility; CENTCOM confirmed the investigation is ongoing.