Five US military service members were killed after their aircraft crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during a training mission Friday evening, officials said Sunday.
The vessel went down during a “routine air refueling mission,” killing everyone on board, according to US European Command.
“Search and rescue efforts began immediately, including nearby US military aircraft and ships,” officials said, adding that there were no signs of any hostile activity involved.
EUCOM
An F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to the “Tomcatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31 launched from the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on Oct 15, days after it was dispatched to the region to deter allies of Hamas from attacking Israel. US NAVY/AFP via Getty ImagesIt was not immediately clear what branch of the military the aircraft belonged to and the names of the victims were withheld pending family notification.
The Air Force had sent additional squadrons to the area, where the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier had also been deployed last month to “deter any actor seeking to escalate the situation or widen” Israel’s war in Gaza.
With Post wires
