Rescue efforts are underway after a US refuelling plane with multiple crew members abord was lost during military operations against Iran, US Central Command has said.
The KC-135 aircraft crashed in western Iraq and had at least five crew members aboard, with US officials saying it was unclear if there were any casualties. Two aircraft were involved in the incident, with the other landing safely.
The crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, the US military said in a statement, which described the plane as “a loss”.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” the US Central Command said.
“This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
“More information will be made available as the situation develops. We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”
The tanker is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the US military’s operations against Iran. Last week, the military confirmed that three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire.
All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after being recovered, the US said
Seven American troops have been killed in combat during the Iran war so far. About 140 US service members have been wounded, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.