US KC-135 refueling aircraft crash in Iraq kills 4 crew members, military confirms

Four of six crew members have died following the deadly crash of an American KC-135 refuelling crash in Iraq, as confirmed by the US Central Command (Centcom).

Two other crew members remain missing as rescue operations continue.

The aircraft had been involved in the US ongoing operations against Iran. The second aircraft was also involved, but it landed safely as the crisis in the Middle East escalated.

“One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” US Central Command said in a statement.

“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” the statement read.

The Boeing-manufactured KC-135 aircraft was used to refuel planes mid-air used in the US military operations.

KC-135 refuelling aircraft generally consists of a pilot, a copilot, and a third who operates the boom used to refuel other aircraft.

According to Centcom, the fatal crash occurred 14:00 ET (19:00 GMT) on Thursday. However, the cause and circumstances of the crash are under investigation.

Earlier, Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for shooting down the plane in order to protect the country’s airspace and sovereignty.

During the ongoing war, the US has lost four military aircrafts. Prior to this crash, Kuwaiti air defences shot down the US F-15s jets during the US-Israel war with Iran.