A photo of Captain Ariana Savino (courtesy MacDill Air Force Base)

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SEATTLE — The six service members who died after a U.S. military refueling plane crashed in Iraq on Thursday have been identified, with one being from Covington, according to the U.S Department of War.

Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, was supporting Operation Epic Fury along with 5 others when their Stratotanker KC-135 crashed in western Iraq.

The following Air Force Airmen died in the crash, along with Savino:

Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Alabama
Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Kentucky
Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Indiana
Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30 of Ohio
Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28 of Ohio

Savino was assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing in MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in a statement officials said, “Team MacDill is devastated by the loss of three members of the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, and we offer our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones.”

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, District 9, released the following statement in response to learning about the news:

I was greatly saddened to learn today of the passing of Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington. She made the ultimate sacrifice in service to her country in the Middle East in a great time of need. Ashley and I send our thoughts and prayers to her family and friends. I firmly believe that her service will make our country safer for everyone.

Senator Murray shared the following statement on the passing of Capt. Ariana G. Savino:

I am heartbroken to learn about the passing of Capt. Ariana G. Savino from Washington state. I am deeply grateful for her courage and sacrifice in service to our country. Our servicemembers put their lives on the line to keep our country safe—remarkable women like Capt. Savino represent the absolute best of our state and country. I also want to express my sincerest condolences to the family and loved ones of Capt. Savino and join them in mourning her loss. I, of course, also extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of the other five brave Air Force Airmen we lost in this tragic incident. As we mourn the passing of these heroes, we must remember our commitment to honor them not only with words but by supporting the families they leave behind. The families and friends of Capt. Savino are in my thoughts during this difficult time.

Although the incident occurred in a “friendly airspace,” during Operation Epic Fury, it was not due to “friendly fire,” CENTCOM said.

The crash came after Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” three American F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury last week. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a U.S. Air Force aircraft used to refuel other planes in midair, allowing them to travel longer distances and maintain operations longer without landing.

The plane is also used to transport wounded personnel during medical evacuations or conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts.

SOURCE: https://komonews.com/news/local/covington-washington-captain-air-force-among-six-identified-in-iraq-kc-135-refueling-plane-crash-us-military-iraq-crash-war