Three Birmingham airmen killed in Iraq refueling plane crash

Two more airmen from Alabama have been confirmed dead after an aircraft they were in crashed in the Middle East.Leaders with the 117th Air Refueling Wing in Birmingham, Alabama, said Saturday night that three active-duty airmen based out of the 99th Air Refueling Squadron — which shares facilities with the 117th but whose active-duty components are administratively governed by MacDill Air Force Base in Florida — died when the plane they were in crashed during Operation Epic Fury in western Iraq.The 117th said Maj. John Alex Klinner, TSgt. Ashley Pruitt and Capt. Ariana Savino, alongside three airmen from the Ohio Air National Guard who also died, were aboard the KC-135 Stratotanker when it crashed.Klinner, 33, a Trussville, Alabama, resident, had just been promoted to his current rank in January and had been deployed for less than a week before the crash.The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against Iran, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safely, U.S. military officials said.Col. Mike Adams, commander of the 117th, said in a statement:"Alex, Ashley and Ariana are and always will be members of the 117th family. Even though they were not members of the Air National Guard, to us they will always be remembered as Vulcan refuelers and Alabamians."The 117th said the circumstances of the incident are under investigation, but it has established a family assistance center to support those affected by the loss; counseling services and chaplains are also available.