Five U.S. service members were killed when a military aircraft crashed Friday night while taking part in a training operation in the eastern Mediterranean, the U.S. European Command confirmed on Sunday.
The helicopter crash occurred during “a routine air refueling mission as part of military training,” the statement said, with the command adding that it would not be releasing the names of the victims for 24 hours so that next of kin notifications could be conducted.
A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News the five dead service members were special operations forces who had been deployed to Cyprus in case an evacuation of Lebanon or Israel was ordered.
USEUCOM is responsible for U.S. military operations across Europe, portions of Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and the Atlantic Ocean.
“We mourn the tragic loss of five U.S. service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea late Friday evening,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement, adding that the Pentagon was investigating the nature of the crash.
The aircraft “suffered a mishap and went down,” USEUCOM previously said in a statement on Saturday, adding on Sunday that search and rescue efforts began immediately but were unsuccessful.
The incident was “purely related to training and there are no indications of hostile activity,” USEUCOM said.
Austin said that the crash is “another stark reminder that the brave men and women who defend our great nation put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our country safe.”
“They represent the best of America. We will remember their service and their sacrifice,” he added.
The Defense Department sent additional U.S. forces to the Middle East in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel.
The USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group were deployed to the eastern Mediterranean in the days immediately after the attack.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its strike group were sent to the Persian Gulf as U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria have seen an increase in attacks by Iran-backed Shia militia groups in recent weeks.
Austin also sent additional air defense systems to the region.
