US Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq, Six Service Members Killed

armed conflict defense & military

A U.S. military KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday during Operation Epic Fury. Initial reports indicated rescue efforts were underway to locate and extract the crew, with at least five reportedly onboard. Central Command confirmed the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. On Friday, U.S. Central Command confirmed all six crew members were killed in the crash. The incident involved another KC-135 aircraft, which landed safely. Authorities stated the loss of the aircraft was not due to enemy action. The crash brings the total number of American fatalities in Operation Epic Fury to eleven. Rescue efforts continued briefly for any remaining personnel, but were ultimately unsuccessful. The Pentagon has reported Operation Epic Fury costs have exceeded $11.3 billion, though the full financial impact remains unknown.

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