Five soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment lost their lives in a helicopter crash in the eastern Mediterranean Sea during an air refueling mission on Friday evening, according to the New York Times and confirmed by a U.S. Army spokesman. The crash involved an MH-60M Black Hawk helicopter that belonged to the elite aviation regiment known as the Night Stalkers. Officials said there was no indication of hostile fire.
The incident is under investigation, with search-and-rescue teams deployed immediately. The Night Stalkers and their specialized aircraft are operating near Cyprus to support U.S. Special Forces, including the Army’s Delta Force and the Navy’s SEAL Team 6. These teams were moved to the region for potential evacuation and hostage-rescue operations as multiple U.S. citizens are still held captive by Hamas and are thought to be held in the tunnels beneath Gaza. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and its strike group are also in the area as a deterrent to Iran and its proxies.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement on Sunday:
We mourn the tragic loss of five U.S. service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea late Friday evening.
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. 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.
U.S. European Command provided limited details about the crash, emphasizing the secrecy surrounding the unit’s mission. The Department of Defense has temporarily withheld the identities of the deceased in accordance with its policy of first notifying the affected families.
A couple of things: One, weep for the families suddenly adrift. Not many are worthy of becoming Night Stalkers, and we are all worse off for their loss. Second, training accidents happen, but this year has been especially bad. By April of this year, there had already been three helicopter incidents, with 14 men and five helos lost. Then, in August, a Marine Corps Osprey went down on Melville Island, Australia, with three dead and 20 injured.
While training accidents of all kinds occur — it is the price of doing dangerous things in dangerous places — the investigation into each of these events had better show a complete absence of foul play and overlooked maintenance. We ask a lot of our military and their gear; the least we can do is ensure the men and their machines are adequately looked after and supported.