Five U.S. service members were killed on Friday night when a military aircraft crashed during a training operation, officials confirmed on Sunday. The Department of Defense has confirmed that a Minnesotan was among five U.S. Army Special Operations aviation Soldiers killed during military aircraft training over the Mediterranean Sea.
The crash happened Friday as an MH-60 Blackhawk conducting aerial refueling training experienced an in-flight emergency and crashed.
Among the victims was 24-year-old Sergeant Cade M. Wolfe of Mankato.
Mankato East school counselor Holly Evans tells Vineeta Sawkar on the WCCO Morning News that Cade was an easygoing and conversational student.
"He was really at ease talking to an adult, in a way high school students normally aren't," explained Evans. "But he was a really caring kid. He was really athletic, and worked really hard to stay in shape because he was super focused on what his future career was going to be in the military."
Evans tells WCCO the community is already rallying around the family.
"He graduated a while ago so his peers aren't necessarily here, but I know there's lots of people who knew Cade, know his brother, know his dad in the community. Lots of connections trying to provide support there," says Evans.
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.”
The DOJ has since identified the soldiers killed in the crash and among them was Wolfe.
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.