Six U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq Aircraft Crash

On March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in friendly airspace over western Iraq, resulting in the deaths of six servicemembers.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. ET during Operation Epic Fury, as confirmed by U.S.

Central Command (CENTCOM). The aircraft was involved in a combat mission and went down without hostile fire being a factor.

CENTCOM stated that the identities of the deceased servicemembers would be withheld for 24 hours to notify next of kin. Among the deceased were three members of the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Air Refuel Wing.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine acknowledged their loss. The KC-135 aircraft is not equipped with parachutes or ejection seats, as it is primarily a tanker aircraft, which makes the likelihood of crew members needing to exit via parachute extremely low.

An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is currently ongoing.