US Edition
US military confirms all six crew members dead after refueling plane crashed in Iraq
All six crew members aboard the KC-135 Stratotanker died in a crash during Operation Epic Fury; U.S. Central Command ruled out hostile or friendly fire as the cause.
- On Thursday, March 12, 2026, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, killing all six crew members, U.S. Central Command confirmed on Friday.
- The crash resulted from an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in friendly airspace, with the second plane landing safely; CENTCOM officials ruled out hostile or friendly fire as causes.
- Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iranian proxies, claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft "in defense of our country's sovereignty," though U.S. officials state there is no evidence supporting the claim.
- This incident marks the fourth U.S. military aircraft loss during Operation Epic Fury, immediately straining CENTCOM's mid-air refuelling capacity and reducing availability for sustained air operations against Iranian targets.
- The aging KC-135 fleet, in service for over 60 years, faces reliability concerns as the Air Force transitions to next-generation KC-46A Pegasus tankers to replace the outdated aircraft.
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334 Articles
Associated Press News
Crew of fatal US military crash included Alabama father and several from Ohio
The six U.S. service members who died in the crash of a U.S. military refueling aircraft included an Alabama father and several members based in Ohio.
All 6 crew members killed as US Air Force refueling plane crashes...
Six crew members were killed when a US Air Force refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, US Central Command announced Friday morning. The Tampa, Fla.-based command said the crash of the KC-135 Stratotanker followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in "friendly airspace" "The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire," CENTCOM…
Local military leader calls for community support after KC-135 crash kills 6 US crew members
SPOKANE, Wash. — A retired Air Force colonel is calling on the Spokane community to rally around military families following Thursday's deadly KC-135 crash over western Iraq. US Central Command confirmed all six American crew members on board were killed. Colonel (Ret) Brian Newberry is the former commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at
The U.S. government confirmed on Friday, March 13, the death of six U.S. military personnel travelling on a tanker plane, transporting fuel and crashing west of Iraq. According to information, the aircraft is part of U.S. operations against Iran; however, the air crash was not a result of the conflict between the two nations.Six U.S. military personnel are confirmed dead in an air crash in IraqAmid the conflict in the Middle East, the U.S. Centr…
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