TAMPA (FLA): United States Central Command (CENTCOM), has announced apropos the loss of refuelling US aircraft (KC-134) on Thursday (12th March, 2026) and death of its all 6 crew members.
1) Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, (Auburn, Alabama);
2) Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, (Columbus, Ohio);
3) Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, (Bardstown, Kentucky);
4) Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, (Mooresville, Indiana);
5) Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30 (Wilmington, Ohio);
6) Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31 (Covington, Washington).
“At approximately 2 pm ET on March 12, a U.S. KC-135 refuelling aircraft went down in western Iraq. Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue,” CENTCOM told about the US Aircraft.
According to CENTCOM, the US Aircraft was not lost due to friendly or hostile fire:“The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. The identities of the service members are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified.” It is pertinent to mention here that the refuelling US aircraft (tanker) is taking active part in the ongoing Iran-US war. Since the said US aircraft, manufactured by Boeing, is able to refuel planes midair they were also utilized in the earlier Gulf War.
Commenting on the US aircraft (refuelling tanker) that crashed in Western Iraq killing all six members of the crew, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Pentagon Presser on 13th March, 202): “War is hell. War is chaos.
“ And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen…American heroes, all of them. And as I have with all of them, as we have, we will greet those heroes at Dover and their sacrifice will only recommit us to the resolve of this mission.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told that the crash “occurred over friendly territory in western Iraq while the crew was on a combat mission and again, was not the result, as CENTCOM has said, was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. We’re still treating this as an active rescue and recovery operation.”
Irani missiles damage 5 KC-135 of USA in KSA
Aerospace Global News, citing WSJ, reported that missiles launched by Iran, damaged five KC-135 (refuelling) tankers belonging to US Air Force parked in Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) situated in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. It is pertinent to mention here that PSAB – established back in 1990 – happens to be US Military’s major facility in the region.
Meanwhile, though Trump proclaimed that the US-Israeli duo had beaten Iran, and IAE agreed on 11th March to release 400m barrels, the oil price augmented on 13th day of War (12th March, 2026).
Newspakistan.tv
