Mexican Secretariat of National Defense authorized the overflight and emergency landing of two U.S. Hercules tanker aircraft and HH-60W helicopters in Mexican airspace between 2:45:58 AM and 4:45:52 AM UTC on February 6, 2026, to rescue a sick crew member from a vessel 400 nautical miles from Cabo San Lucas, according to an X post by Azucena Uresti. The operation supported a humanitarian mission under cooperation agreements while respecting national sovereignty, as stated by the Mexican government in the source. The U.S. aircraft entered Mexican airspace specifically for the medical evacuation. No additional details on the crew member's condition or the vessel's nationality were provided in the X post during this 1-hour-59-minute window. This authorization highlights bilateral military cooperation for emergency responses at sea.
