US Identifies Six Crew Members Killed in Iraq Refuelling Plane Crash
The Chronify
The United States has identified the six service members killed when a KC 135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during operations linked to the war with Iran. The Pentagon said the dead included three personnel from the active duty Air Force and three from the Air National Guard.
According to the Pentagon, those killed were John Klinner, 33, Ariana Savino, 31, Ashley Pruitt, 34, Seth Koval, 38, Curtis Angst, 30, and Tyler Simmons, 28. Reuters reported that three of the victims were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, while the other three served with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Ohio.
The aircraft went down on March 12 in what U.S. Central Command described as friendly airspace over western Iraq. Reuters and the Associated Press both reported that a second aircraft involved in the mission landed safely. U.S. officials said the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire, and an investigation into the cause remains ongoing.
Early reporting from U.S. officials, cited by AP, said investigators were examining whether the incident could have involved a midair collision. The crash marked another major loss for the U.S. military during the current regional conflict, with AP reporting that it was the fourth publicly confirmed U.S. aircraft loss since the war began on February 28, 2026.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the dead crew members as American heroes. The KC 135 Stratotanker, first built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, has long served as a core part of the U.S. military’s air refuelling fleet, allowing combat aircraft to stay airborne for longer missions.
Early reporting from U.S. officials, cited by AP, said investigators were examining whether the incident could have involved a midair collision. The crash marked another major loss for the U.S. military during the current regional conflict, with AP reporting that it was the fourth publicly confirmed U.S. aircraft loss since the war began on February 28, 2026.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the dead crew members as American heroes. The KC 135 Stratotanker, first built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, has long served as a core part of the U.S. military’s air refuelling fleet, allowing combat aircraft to stay airborne for longer missions.
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