An American military aircraft crashed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Friday during a training mission gone wrong. According to a statement from the U.S. European Command (EUCOM), the plane “suffered a mishap and went down.”
It was not immediately reported whether anyone was killed or injured.
Officials emphasized that the crash was related to a training exercise and there were “no indications of hostile activity.” Additional U.S. forces are currently deployed in the volatile region as the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies.
US military aircraft crashes in the eastern Mediterranean: @USEUCOM.
Strangely, The #US European Command failed to provide further details regarding the location of the crash or the type of warplane. pic.twitter.com/4g5FY47zVX
— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) November 11, 2023
EUCOM is responsible for U.S. forces in Europe, western parts of Asia, and the Middle East along with the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean. Officials did not clarify which branch of the military the personnel involved in the crash are affiliated with.
There were also no indications of the specific type of aircraft or details about the crew. EUCOM’s statement said that “out of respect for the families affected, we will not release further information on the personnel involved at this time.”
It only confirmed that the crash is under investigation.
In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, the Pentagon deployed a pair of aircraft carriers and their supporting ships to the eastern Mediterranean. The clear intent is to contain the Middle East conflict and ensure that hostilities do not spread.
The Gerald R. Ford carrier arrived last month with over 5,000 sailors aboard. It hosts a nuclear reactor and holds more than 75 aircraft from the F-18 Super Hornet jets to the E-2 Hawkeye.
Its arsenal includes medium-range Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles. These are surface-to-air weapons utilized against drone attacks as well as enemy aircraft.
Accompanying the Ford are many supporting ships including guided missile destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney, and Roosevelt. The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser Normandy is also in the Mediterranean.
Of course, the region is already home to a significant contingent of American forces. Thousands of U.S. troops along with the accompanying planes, ships, and weaponry dot the landscape of this part of the globe.
