DefenseSix U.S. Air Force personnel were killed after a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on March 12 following an incident involving another tanker aircraft. U.S. Central Command confirmed the deaths in a statement.
“All six crew members aboard a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft that went down in western Iraq are now confirmed deceased,” the command said. “The aircraft was lost while flying over friendly airspace March 12 during Operation Epic Fury.”
The aircraft was conducting a combat mission linked to the U.S. campaign against Iran when the accident occurred, according to U.S. military officials. The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation, although Central Command said the loss was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. It is understood, however, that the two aircraft had a mid-air collision.
The second aircraft involved in the incident, also a KC-135, managed to land safely. Images circulating on social media appear to show a Stratotanker with a large section of its vertical stabilizer missing, which is believed to be the aircraft that landed after the midair collision.
The crash marks the first fatalities involving an aircraft during the ongoing conflict and the fourth U.S. aircraft lost since the start of the campaign.
The KC-135 fleet has been heavily used during Operation Epic Fury, with dozens of tankers deployed to support U.S. and allied strike missions against targets in Iran. According to U.S. military officials, aircraft strike packages have been launching around the clock as the pace of operations increases.
