Pentagon IDs 6 Air Force members killed in refueling plane crash

6 U.S. crew members dead in Iraq aircraft crash

The U.S. military has confirmed that 6 crew members were killed when their military refueling plane crashed in Iraq on Thursday. LiveNOW's Josh Breslow breaks down the latest details with Matthew "Whiz" Buckley, a retired U.S. Navy fighter pilot. 

The Defense Department has identified the six Air Force members who were killed when their refueling plane crashed while supporting military operations against Iran. 

The KC-135 aircraft crashed Thursday in western Iraq during an incident involving two aircraft in "friendly airspace." The other plane landed safely.

Who were the 6 airmen killed? 

The airmen killed were Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Ala.; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Wash.; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Ky.; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Ind.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio. 

Local perspective:

Klinner, Savino and Pruitt were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Base in Florida. Koval, Angst and Simmons were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. 

What they're saying:

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said three of the Air Force members killed were stationed at the 117th in Birmingham. 

"They were not only outstanding Airmen. They were our neighbors — our fellow Alabamians. May their service and that of their families never be forgotten," she said on social media. 

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The crash brings the U.S. death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with the seven others killed in combat. About 140 U.S. service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.

FILE: A KC-135 of the United States Air Force (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

What caused the crash? 

What we know:

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a U.S. Air Force aircraft used to refuel other planes in midair, allowing them to travel longer distances and maintain operations longer without landing.  

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The plane is also used to transport wounded personnel during medical evacuations or conduct surveillance missions.

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The other plane involved was also a KC-135. It landed safely in Israel, sources told The Associated Press. 

What we don't know:

The circumstances of the crash are still unclear and remain under investigation, but U.S. Central Command did say that the loss of the aircraft was "not due to hostile or friendly fire."

Dig deeper:

The KC-135 has been in service for more than 60 years and has been involved in several fatal accidents, most recently in 2013. The aircraft don’t always carry parachutes, adding to concerns about their reliability.