Four of the six crew members on board a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker that crashed in western Iraq have died, United States Central Command said in a post on X on Friday afternoon. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining two crew members.
CENTCOM, the military command coordinating US and Israeli operations related to the conflict with Iran, said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. However, it ruled out both hostile fire and friendly fire as possible reasons.
The identities of the four personnel who died will be withheld for 24 hours until their families are notified, CENTCOM added.
"At approximately 2 pm ET on March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refuelling aircraft went down in western Iraq. Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue," it wrote in the post.
Cause of crash under probe
The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.
Crash involved two aircraft
The United States Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said the crash occurred after an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace”. The other aircraft landed safely.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a long-serving tanker aircraft used by the United States Air Force to refuel other planes in midair. This allows aircraft to travel longer distances and remain in operation for extended periods without needing to land. Military experts say the aircraft can also be used to transport wounded personnel during medical evacuations or carry out surveillance missions.
Based on the design of the Boeing 707 passenger aircraft, the tanker has been in service for more than 60 years. It has supported the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as allied aircraft, according to the Air Force. The ageing aircraft is expected to be gradually retired as the Air Force receives the next-generation Boeing KC 46A Pegasus tanker fleet.