Five U.S. service members were killed when a military helicopter went down early Saturday morning in what officials describe as a training accident, the Department of Defense announced Sunday.
The personnel were conducting a training exercise in the eastern Mediterranean when the aircraft experienced a “mishap,” U.S. European Command (USEUCOMM) wrote in a Saturday press release obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. The cause of the mishap is still under investigation, although officials said the “sortie” was “purely related to training” and was not the result of “hostile activity.” (RELATED: Armed Drones Shot Down Near Base Hosting US Troops)
The service members’ identities have not yet been released.
We mourn the tragic loss of five U.S. service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea late Friday evening.
My prayers are with the patriots we have lost and their families, loved ones, and teammates.https://t.co/vMdK92p5Zw
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) November 12, 2023
“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,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. “They represent the best of America. We will remember their service and their sacrifice.
“My prayers are with the patriots we have lost today and their families, loved ones, and teammates.”
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