Four crew members of a US military refuelling aircraft have been confirmed dead after the aircraft crashed in western Iraq.
The United States central command, in a statement on Friday, said the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down at about 2pm eastern time on March 12 during operations in the region.
“Four of six crew members on board the aircraft have been confirmed deceased as rescue efforts continue,” the statement reads.
The military said investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash.
“However, the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” the statement said.
Officials added that the identities of the victims would remain undisclosed until 24 hours after their families had been formally notified.
According to US Air Force officials, investigators suspect the crash may have been caused by a midair collision, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.
The aircraft crashed in a largely remote desert area in western Iraq.
Air-to-air refuelling missions such as those conducted by the KC-135 are routine for US Air Force pilots and accidents are considered rare.
However, the manoeuvre can be technically demanding, particularly in difficult weather conditions or strong winds.
The incident marks the fourth loss of a manned aircraft since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, a US military operation that began in late February.
None of the crashes have been attributed to hostile Iranian fire.
