Four U.S. Service members died when a KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, U.S. Central Command confirmed Friday. Rescue efforts continued for the remaining two crew members as of Friday morning.
The aircraft went down near Turaibil, along the Iraqi-Jordanian border, according to an Iraqi intelligence source. U.S. Central Command stated the incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing military operation against Iran, and was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.
“Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue,” a statement from U.S. Central Command read. “The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.” The identities of the service members are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
A second KC-135 Stratotanker involved in the same incident experienced an emergency and safely landed in Tel Aviv, according to flight tracking service FlightRadar24 and U.S. Central Command.
The crash marks the fourth publicly acknowledged loss of a U.S. Aircraft since the start of Operation Epic Fury, launched February 28th. Ten days prior to the KC-135 crash, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles crashed in Kuwait during a friendly-fire incident involving Kuwaiti air defenses, though all six crew members ejected safely.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group of Iran-backed militias, claimed responsibility for downing the U.S. Aircraft, stating it was struck by a missile. U.S. Central Command has refuted this claim, maintaining the crash was not the result of enemy action.
The loss of the KC-135 brings the total number of U.S. Service members killed in the conflict with Iran to eleven, according to U.S. Central Command. The KC-135 Stratotanker is a critical component of U.S. In-flight refueling capabilities, extending the range and endurance of military aircraft.
Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP) missions, designed to secure crash sites and recover personnel and sensitive equipment, were deployed following the incident, according to U.S. Military protocols.
