Five U.S. service members were killed on Friday night when a military aircraft crashed during a training operation, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The U.S. European Command confirmed in a press release that the helicopter crashed into the eastern Mediterranean, leaving no survivors.
The statement said the crash happened during “a routine air refueling mission as part of military training.”
Citing a U.S. official, CBS News reported that the five dead service members were special operations forces who had been deployed to Cyprus in case an evacuation of Lebanon or Israel was ordered.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin comments on the crash, saying that the Pentagon would be investigating what happened.
“We mourn the tragic loss of five U.S. service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea late Friday evening,” Austin said.
USEUCOM shared in a statement on Sunday that the helicopter had “suffered a mishap and went down.” Search and rescue efforts have since begun but were unsuccessful.
Still, officials maintain that the crash was “purely related to training, and there are no indications of hostile activity.”
Austin said in the statement that the incident was “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,” Austin said.
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