Five US troops killed in Mediterranean helicopter crash during training mission

Five US special operations troops have died after their helicopter crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during a training mission on Friday, US officials said.

US European Command, which oversees American military operations in Europe and parts of the Middle East, said an investigation into its cause is under way but there was no indication of hostile activity.

The command said all five crew members on board were killed when the aircraft went down “during a routine air refuelling mission as part of military training”.

“We can definitively say that the aircraft sortie was purely related to training and there are no indications of hostile activity,” the European Command said. It did not identify the helicopter involved.

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that “we mourn the tragic loss of five US service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea early Saturday morning.

“While we continue to gather more information about this deadly crash, it 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.”

Identities of the victims will not be released until next of kin notifications are completed, the command added.

The troops aboard the helicopter were US Army special operations personnel, two US officials speaking on the condition of anonymity told the Reuters news agency.

The United States has deployed two aircraft carriers – the USS Gerald R. Ford, one of the world’s largest aircraft carriers, and the USS Dwight D Eisenhower – along with supporting ships and aircraft to the eastern Mediterranean to act as a deterrent to ensure the conflict between Hamas and Israel does not expand.

President Joe Biden expressed condolences in a statement on Sunday.