Five U.S. service members are dead after an American military helicopter crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Friday evening, U.S. officials confirmed Sunday.
The crew was conducting a “routine air refueling mission” during a training sortie when their aircraft suffered a mishap, U.S. European Command said in an emailed statement. All aboard were killed.
The New York Times reported all five service members were U.S. Army Special Operations forces. Lt. Col. Rob Lodewick, an Army spokesman, confirmed that information to Military Times, but referred additional questions to European Command.
The command first announced the accident on Saturday but declined to say what type of aircraft was involved.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the downed asset was a helicopter in a statement on Sunday. The Pentagon has not specified to which branch of the armed forces the aircraft belonged.
“While we continue to gather more information about this deadly crash, it is another stark reminder that the brave men and women who defend our great nation put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our country safe,” Austin said. “They represent the best of America. We will remember their service and their sacrifice.”
The mishap prompted an “immediate” rescue effort that included nearby U.S. military aircraft and ships, European Command said.
The command did not provide further details about where in the region the plane went down.
However, the U.S. issued a flight notice early Saturday noting a “search-and-rescue operation in progress” in the span of sea between Cyprus and Lebanon.
Flight tracker @EISNspotter posted Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that air traffic control in Cyprus had called in military support around midnight Saturday for a helicopter that crash-landed about 30 nautical miles from the island’s southern coast.
Planespotters on social media flagged multiple Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance planes patrolling the water south of Cyprus on Saturday, as well as an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III — often used for aeromedical evacuations — departing the area.
It’s unclear whether the aircraft was training as part of routine operations in Europe, or if it was over the Mediterranean Sea as part of a deterrent force that has arrived in the region in recent weeks.
The Pentagon has rushed thousands of American troops to the Middle East as war unfolds between U.S. ally Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls the neighboring Gaza Strip.
Among those forces are the Navy’s Ford carrier strike group stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, U.S. surveillance aircraft gathering intelligence off of the Israeli coast and others spread around the region. The Eisenhower carrier strike group also passed through the Mediterranean on its way to the Red Sea earlier this month.
The military is investigating the cause of the mishap. It will not release the names of the deceased until 24 hours after their families have been notified, in accordance with Pentagon policy.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen,” European Command said.
Sad news about our soldiers —If only our missing leaders were alert and put an end to their presence in the Med by eliminating Iran actions to aid insurrection in that region. Europe and possibly here – way to go Brandon you idiot
Shame we lose our best getting involved in a religious war that the USA should not in any way be involved.
If Jews wants to kill or expel all Arabs from the lands they now want back, let them do it on their own.
Why is the USA involved in Netanyahu’s effort for ethnic cleansing of Palestine?. I thought our ideals invoke not bombing civilians, or no ethnic cleansing, or no killing children under any excuse.
I guess when it comes to Israel our morals get easily compromised……
You truly are an idiot. It shows by using that term. The fact is, after centuries of Palestinian’s being a threat to many all over the World, their action in October has triggered their much deserved elimination. Soon the World will be safer! Don’t like that, go over there and fight for them. That will last about ONE DAY‼️ Let’s see what you’re made of. Or are you already a terrorist in hiding⁉️ Wave that flag, who knows what might happen. Have a nice day‼️😎🇺🇸⚔️🏴☠️
Ooorahh🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
There is NOTHING “routine” about air refueling. Nor military training in general.
I have lived those times but if our feckless leadership was not made up of chicken shit as sholes this was not a necessary deployment
Oh yes and a demented chickenshit CIC no less
But at least they died knowing that White Supremacy is the number one threat to the United States.
Oh no the real enemy Aretha Democ 🐀bastards
These deaths are on the feckless White House resident and the entire administration. Nothing but problems around the world that this administration has attempted to fix with band-aids and antiseptics.