US Confirms Four Killed In KC-135 Refueling Plane Crash In Iraq

Four of the six crew members aboard a US military refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq have been confirmed dead, the US military said on Friday, while search and rescue operations continue for the remaining two personnel, Reuters reported.

The aircraft, a KC-135 Stratotanker, went down on Thursday during operations linked to ongoing US military activity in the region. Officials said the incident involved another aircraft but was not caused by hostile or friendly fire.

In a statement, US Central Command (Centcom) said the circumstances surrounding the crash were still under investigation. "The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire," the statement said.

Centcom said the crash occurred at around 14:00 Eastern Time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday. The tanker had been operating alongside another aircraft at the time of the incident, though the second aircraft landed safely.

The KC-135 had been taking part in US operations connected to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Washington has deployed a large number of aircraft across the Middle East as part of these operations, and the crash underscores the risks associated not only with combat missions but also with complex mid-air refuelling procedures.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organisation of Iran-backed armed groups, claimed responsibility for shooting down the aircraft. However, US military officials reiterated that there was no evidence the crash was caused by hostile or friendly fire.

Authorities said the identities of the four crew members who died would not be released for at least 24 hours to allow time for their families to be notified.

The KC-135 Stratotanker, manufactured by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, is a key component of the US military's aerial refuelling fleet. The aircraft is capable of refuelling fighter jets and bombers while in flight, allowing them to extend their operational range without landing. A typical crew includes a pilot, co-pilot and a boom operator who controls the refuelling arm.

The incident occurred over an area described by Centcom as friendly airspace, although parts of western Iraq are known to host pro-Iranian militia groups. Iran's military claimed on state television that an allied faction had targeted the aircraft with a missile.

The crash comes amid heightened tensions in the region following the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Seven US service members have already been confirmed killed during the conflict.

The US military has also lost several aircraft during the ongoing hostilities. Earlier this month, three F-15 fighter jets were reportedly shot down in what officials described as an apparent friendly fire incident over Kuwait. All six crew members aboard those aircraft managed to eject safely.

Separately, two US sailors were injured on Friday after a non-combat-related fire broke out aboard the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier.

Rescue teams continue to search the crash site in western Iraq as efforts to locate the two missing crew members remain under way.

With inputs from agencies.