U.S. Air Force refueling plane crashes in western Iraq, killing six crew members.
Key Takeaways
- Six U.S. airmen killed in refueling plane crash in western Iraq.
- Three Ohio airmen among the victims.
- Pentagon identified the six airmen.
Crash Overview
The crash resulted in the deaths of six crew members during Iran war operations.
The incident occurred at approximately 2 p.m. ET Thursday.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the aircraft went down while participating in combat operations.
Military officials stated the crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
The circumstances remain under investigation.
The crash involved two aircraft, with one landing safely.
The exact nature of their interaction has not been fully disclosed by authorities.
Crew Members
The six deceased crew members came from multiple states and different Air Force units.
The victims included Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama.
Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, was also among the deceased.
Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky, died in the crash.
Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana, was also killed.
Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio, died in the incident.
Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, was the final victim.
Three of the airmen were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
They served at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham, Alabama.
The other three were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Columbus, Ohio.
Aircraft Details
The crashed aircraft was a KC-135 Stratotanker, a vital military refueling aircraft.
The KC-135 has been in service for over 60 years.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force had 376 KC-135 aircraft last year.
This included 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is specifically designed to refuel other aircraft in midair.
This capability allows aircraft to fly longer distances without landing.
The aircraft can also transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions.
The crew members were on a mission related to Iran war operations when the crash occurred.
This highlights the aircraft's critical role in extended combat missions.
Investigation & Response
The crash investigation is ongoing, with military officials working to determine the exact cause.
U.S. Central Command has stated that the loss was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
They have not released specific details about what caused the crash.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the tragedy during a Pentagon news briefing.
Hegseth described the crew as 'American heroes'.
He acknowledged the true cost of military operations.
Hegseth stated: 'War is hell. War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen.'
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized the sacrifice made by service members.
Caine noted that 'our service members make an incredible sacrifice to go forward and do the things that the nation asks of them.'
Crew Experience
The crew members who perished had extensive military experience and significant accomplishments.
Maj. John A. Klinner served as chief of squadron standardizations and evaluations.
Klinner had been deployed four times since 2019.
He logged 181 combat or combat support hours.
Klinner had been promoted four times.
He received several medals including the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster.
He also received the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt served as an assistant flight chief of operations and boom operator.
Pruitt accrued 2,749 flight hours during her career.
She served in 'a variety of aircrew leadership positions related to air refueling operations' since 2021.
Capt. Ariana G. Savino was chief of current operations for her squadron.
Savino had been deployed to U.S. Central Command operations three times since 2020.
She flown 348 combat hours.
She received the Air Medal and the Air and Space Commendation Medal.
More on USA
FBI investigates Joe Kent, former National Counterterrorism Center director, for allegedly leaking classified information.
81 sources compared
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton Wins Illinois Democratic Senate Primary to Replace Durbin
171 sources compared
Senators Grill Mullin Over DHS Nomination as Intel Officials Testify on Top Threats
91 sources compared
César Chávez Faces Sexual Abuse Allegations, Including Rape of Dolores Huerta and Other Survivors
34 sources compared