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The US military announced on Saturday the death of five soldiers who were participating in peacekeeping operations with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) mission.
The soldiers died in a UH-60 helicopter crash Thursday in Sinai, Egypt. The incident is under investigation.
The deceased are:
- Captain Seth Vernon Vandekamp, 31, of Katy, Texas.
- Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dallas Gearld Garza, 34, from Fayetteville, NC
- Chief Warrant Officer 2 Marwan Sameh Ghabour, 27, of Marlborough, Mass.
- Staff Sgt.Kyle Robert McKee, 35, of Painesville, Ohio
- Sgt. Jeremy Cain Sherman, 23, from Watseka, Ill.
An American is still hospitalized in very serious condition.
5 US TROOPS KILLED IN HELICOPTER WRITING ON EGYPT’S SINAI PENINSULA
A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed on Tiran Island off the southern coast of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Thursday, Fox News confirmed.
A mechanical failure is suspected to be the cause of the crash, officials told Fox News. An investigation is underway.
It is the deadliest crash for the US military this year. More Americans were killed in the helicopter crash Thursday than combat fatalities in Afghanistan this year, which currently stands at four.
“At this point, there is no information indicating that the crash was anything other than an accident,” a statement from the UN peacekeeping mission said.
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There are between 300 and 400 American troops based in Sinai as part of a UN peacekeeping mission that dates back to the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979.
The United States has reduced its military presence in Sinai over the past four years – cutting its forces by roughly half – as attacks on the Americans have escalated at the hands of an IS affiliate.
The island where the accident occurred is located in the Straits of Tiran, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.
According to the peacekeeping mission: “During a routine mission around Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, eight uniformed members of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) were involved in an accident. helicopter.
“We are deeply saddened to report that seven members of the MFO were killed; this includes five US citizens, one French and one Czech. One US member of the MFO survived and was medically evacuated.
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The Pentagon later released a statement Thursday from Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, who said: “The Department of Defense is deeply saddened by the loss of five United States and two service members from Partner countries in a helicopter crash in the Sinai Peninsula operating with the United Nations. Multinational Force and Observers (MFO). “
“Yesterday we recognized the sacrifice of millions of American veterans who have defended our nation for generations, and today we tragically remember the last full measure that our uniformed warriors can pay for their service.”
“I extend the Department’s condolences to the families, friends and teammates of these servicemen,” Miller added.
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