5 US soldiers killed in jet crash in eastern Mediterranean, command rules out link to Israel-Hamas war
The cause of the accident is under investigation
A US military aircraft crashed in a training accident in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Friday (Nov 10) evening killing five soldiers, according to the US European Command, which rules out any links of it to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
"During a routine air refueling mission as part of military training, a US military aircraft carrying five service members suffered a mishap and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. All five of the service members onboard the aircraft were killed," the US European Command (EUCOM) said on Sunday (Nov 12).
US President Joe Biden extended tribute to those who lost their lives in the mishap. "Our service members put their lives on the line for our country every day," Biden said adding, "They willingly take risks to keep the American people safe and secure. And their daily bravery and selflessness is an enduring testament to what is best in our nation."
However, more details about the incident were not disclosed in the report.
In an earlier statement, the European Command refrained from identifying the type of aircraft involved or exactly where the crash took place. The statement further had explained that the decision to withhold details was out of respect for the affected families.
“Out of respect for the families affected, we will not release further information on the personnel involved at this time,” the statement reportedly read at the time.
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European Command highlighted that the incident occurred during a training exercise."We can definitively say that the aircraft sortie was purely related to training and there are no indications of hostile activity," the statement reportedly said.
Investigation underway
The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.Since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out after the October 7 assault, the Pentagon has dispatched aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean.
The main purpose of these deployments is to serve as a deterrent in case the war escalates to a wider region. The region already hosts various US military assets such as ships, aircraft, and military troops.
The statement also clarified that the crash was unrelated to either the war in Gaza or the fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border.
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European Command had further assured that more information would be provided "as the situation develops," indicating an ongoing effort to find more about the incident.The command oversees US military operations in Europe, parts of Asia, the Middle East, the Arctic, and the Atlantic Ocean.
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There remains a risk of a potential escalation in the West Asian region due to the Gaza war. Israel revised the death toll from Hamas' October 7 attack to about 1,200. Meanwhile, over 11,000 people have died in Israel's retaliatory strikes in Gaza, as per reports.
(With inputs from agencies)