Five members of the US Army died Sunday during a training exercise after the military plane they were traveling in crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. The deadly mishap occurred during a routine in-flight refueling mission, according to the US European Command, which added that “there are no indications of hostile activity.”
Search and rescue operations have begun, while the Department of Defense keeps the identity of the dead crew members secret until their next of kin is notified.
“As we continue to gather information about this deadly accident, we can say that this is another harsh reminder that the brave men and women who defend our great nation risk their lives every day to keep our country safe,” said the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. “They represent the best of America. We will remember their service and their sacrifice,” she added.
The incident is the latest of several fatal military accidents this year. In August, a Navy plane crashed on the Australian island of Melville during another training exercise, killing three of the 23 service members it was carrying and injuring the rest. Nine other people were killed in March when two Army helicopters collided over Kentucky, also during a training mission. Just a month earlier, three other people died in another similar collision in Alaska.