Pentagon identifies 5 U.S. troops killed in military helicopter crash over the Mediterranean

The Pentagon on Monday identified the five U.S. service members who were killed when a military aircraft crashed Friday night while taking part in a training operation in the eastern Mediterranean.

The service members were identified Monday as: Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R. Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M. Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt. Tanner W. Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt. Andrew P. Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona; and Sgt. Cade M. Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota.

All five were special operations aviation soldiers.

The Department of Defense said Monday that the fatal crash happened "during routine flight training" on Friday in the Mediterranean Sea. 

"The MH-60 Blackhawk was conducting aerial refueling training when the aircraft experienced an in-flight emergency, resulting in the crash," the release said. The aircraft and all five soldiers had been assigned to the first battalion in the 160th special operations aviation regiment, officials said. 

"This is devastating news that reverberates across the entire Special Operations community. Every loss is tough, but in this case, service to the Nation is truly a family business and it's hard to express the amount of sorrow that we all feel right now," Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said in a statement. 

A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News the five dead service members had been deployed to Cyprus in case an evacuation of Lebanon or Israel was ordered. 

USEUCOM is responsible for U.S. military operations across Europe, portions of Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and the Atlantic Ocean.

"We mourn the tragic loss of five U.S. service members during a training accident in the Mediterranean Sea late Friday evening," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement, adding that the Pentagon was investigating the nature of the crash.

The aircraft "suffered a mishap and went down," USEUCOM previously said in a statement on Saturday, adding on Sunday that search and rescue efforts began immediately but were unsuccessful.

The incident was "purely related to training and there are no indications of hostile activity," USEUCOM said. 

Austin said that the crash is "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," he added.

Dwyer, Barnes, Southard, Wolfe and Grone had served in the Army, some in various roles, for a number of years, and each had received awards for their service, according to the Defense Department.

"These teammates demonstrated the highest level of dedication to the 160th SOAR and their exemplary service in the Army is the embodiment of what it means to be a Night Stalker and a Soldier," said Col. Roger P. Waleski Jr., commander of the five soldiers' aviation regiment, in a statement. Night stalker is a nickname sometimes used to recognize soldiers for their proficiency operating at night.

"Our priority now is to ensure the families of our fallen warriors receive our complete support as we work through this tragedy together," Waleski said. "We ask that you keep Stephen, Shane, Tanner, Andrew, Cade, their Families, and fellow Night Stalkers in your thoughts and prayers." 

The Defense Department sent additional U.S. forces to the Middle East in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel.

The USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group were deployed to the eastern Mediterranean in the days immediately after the attack. 

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its strike group were sent to the Persian Gulf as U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria have seen an increase in attacks by Iran-backed Shia militia groups in recent weeks.

Austin also sent additional air defense systems to the region.

David Martin contributed reporting.

In:
• Pentagon
• United States Military
• Defense Department
• Mediterranean Sea

Faris Tanyos

Faris Tanyos is a news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast.