5 U.S. Special Ops Troops Killed in Black Hawk Helicopter Crash near Cyprus

Five members of the U.S. Army Special Operations forces perished in a helicopter crash during a refueling mission in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

This was reported by The New York Times citing American officials.

The MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down off the coast of Cyprus, prompting an ongoing investigation. Commando teams, including Delta Force and SEAL Team 6, have been deployed to Cyprus for potential evacuations and hostage rescue operations in the region.

The deceased troops were part of the Night Stalkers, the Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, responsible for clandestine missions. They were reportedly in the region as part of the Pentagon's plan for the conflict, which includes getting ready to evacuate U.S. citizens from Israel and Lebanon if needed.

The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the region, with an American aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, operating as a deterrent against Iran and its proxies.

The U.S. European Command, responsible for military operations in the region, initially revealed the incident on November 11 but did not specify the military branch or the type of aircraft involved.

A U.S. European Command statement said:

"During a routine air refueling mission as part of military training, a U.S. military aircraft carrying five service members suffered a mishap and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. All five of the service members onboard the aircraft were killed."