Pentagon has revealed the identities of all six crew who died when their US military refuelling plane crashed.
According to Sky News, six members of the US KC-135 plane died this week in a crash over Iraq.
An umbrella group of Iranian proxies, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed responsibility but US authorities have said it "was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."
The Boeing KC-135 was in "friendly" airspace over western Iraq on 12 March when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, as per the US Central Command.
The authorities said that the other plane landed safely.
The Pentagon identified the airmen on Saturday, as the crash remains under investigation.
The airmen are 33-year-old Maj. John A. Klinner of Auburn, Alabama; 31-year-old Capt. Ariana G. Savino of Covington, Washington; 34-year-old Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt of Bardstown, Kentucky; 38-year-old Capt. Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana; 30-year-old Capt. Curtis J. Angst of Wilmington, Ohio; and 28-year-old Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons of Columbus, Ohio.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said on X, “They were not only outstanding Airmen. They were our neighbors – our fellow Alabamians. May their service and that of their families never be forgotten.”
The crew members’ deaths bring the number of US troops killed in connection to the war with Iran to 13.
