US military refuelling plane crashes in Iraq, killing all 6 aboard
The KC-135 aircraft was part of the operation against Iran but the crash was not due to ‘hostile fire’, US Central Command said
All six crew members aboard a US military refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are confirmed to have been killed, the US military said on Friday.
A US military refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, in an incident the military said involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.
The deaths add to the seven US service members who have already been killed as part of US operations against Iran which began on February 28.
“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” a statement from US Central Command said.
A US official said that the second aircraft involved in the crash, which landed safely, was also a military refuelling aircraft known as the KC-135.
The United States has deployed a large number of aircraft into the Middle East to take part in operations against Iran and the incident highlights the risk of not just operations, but of refuelling aircraft in the air.