By Obinna Uballa
Four crew members have died after a United States military KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed.
The aircraft, part of ongoing US operations in the region, had six crew on board, two of whom survived.
Centcom said rescue operations are ongoing and stressed that neither hostile nor friendly fire was involved in the incident. The second aircraft operating alongside the tanker landed safely.
The crash occurred around 14:00 ET (19:00 GMT) on Thursday, and the circumstances are now under investigation. The identities of the four deceased personnel are being withheld for 24 hours to allow notification of their next of kin.
The KC-135 Stratotanker, manufactured by Boeing in the 1950s and 1960s, is a key component of the US military’s aerial refuelling fleet. Capable of refuelling planes midair, the aircraft enables fighter jets and bombers to extend their operational range without landing.
Centcom confirmed the crash took place over friendly airspace in Iraq, though the area is known to host pro-Iranian militias. Iran’s military claimed on state television that an allied group had targeted the plane with a missile.
The KC-135 usually operates with a crew of at least a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator, who manages the aircraft’s refuelling arm.
The crash marks the fourth US aircraft lost since the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Earlier this month, three F-15s were downed in an apparent friendly fire incident over Kuwait; all six crew members survived.
Seven US soldiers have been confirmed killed in the ongoing war with Iran, highlighting the escalating risks faced by US forces in the region.
The KC-135 has been a backbone of the US air refuelling fleet since its introduction and played a major role in the first Gulf War, allowing US aircraft to conduct extended missions across the region.
