US Central Command said on Thursday that it lost a KC-135 refueling tanker aircraft over Iraq and that a rescue effort is underway, suggesting it may have crashed.
“US Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” the command said.
CENTCOM said a second aircraft was involved in the “incident” but landed safely. The command said the incident didn’t involve enemy fire or friendly fire despite the raging war and frequent Iranian missile and drone attacks across the region.
“Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” the command said.
“More information will be made available as the situation develops. We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members,” CENTCOM added.
The incident marks at least the fourth manned US aircraft that has been lost during the war, as three F-15 fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait. According to CENTCOM, the F-15s were accidentally struck by Kuwaiti air defenses, while Iran claimed it had downed one of the US jets.
