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Pentagon releases names of fallen aircrew
The United States military has identified the six service members who died when their KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq on Thursday.
The Pentagon listed the casualties as: US Air Force personnel John Klinner, 33, of Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, of Washington; and Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Kentucky. The three National Guard members were Seth Koval, 38, from Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, and Tyler Simmons, 28, both from Ohio.
Crash details and initial findings
Officials confirmed the aircraft was participating in a combat mission supporting operations against Iran when it went down. A second KC-135 involved in the same mission landed without incident.
The Pentagon ruled out hostile or friendly fire as the cause, though US officials told CBS News a midair collision remained under investigation. US Central Command described the crash site as located in friendly airspace.
An Iraqi intelligence source told CBS the wreckage was found near Turaibil, close to the Iraqi-Jordanian border. Pro-Iranian militias active in the area have not been directly linked to the incident.
Iranian claims and broader conflict context
Iran's military stated on state television that an allied militia had struck the aircraft with a missile. US officials have not confirmed this claim.
Thursday's crash raises the US military death toll in the two-week-old conflict with Iran to 13. Additional fatalities include six soldiers in Kuwait and one in Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon has reported the loss of at least four aircraft since hostilities began with joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, including an operation that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Recent friendly fire incident
Earlier this month, three F-15 fighter jets were downed in Kuwait in what officials described as an apparent friendly fire incident. All six crew members ejected safely in that case.
Aircraft background
The KC-135 Stratotanker, manufactured by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, remains a cornerstone of the US Air Force's refueling fleet. The aircraft enables extended combat missions by allowing planes to remain airborne longer without landing.
Tributes and next steps
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth honored the crew, calling them "American heroes." Investigators continue to examine the crash site and flight data to determine the exact cause of the accident.
