US military officials arrived in Kuwait Wednesday for investigating the March 12th F/A-18 training accident in that killed six soldiers and injured seven others, said the Pentagon.
Five of those killed were US service members, while the sixth was from New Zealand.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Mike DeLong heads the investigation, said the Pentagon in a press release, adding that New Zealand and Kuwait have been invited to send representatives.
Pentagon officials said a forward air controller's call to abort an air strike by the fighter jet on a range in Kuwait was seconds too late as three bombs fell on his own position.
The 500-pound gravity bombs landed on an observation post at the Udairi range, where controllers had called in the strike as part of a close air support exercise.
US Army officials identified four of those killed as: Staff Sgt. Troy J. Westberg, Staff Sgt. Richard N. Boudreau, Sgt. Phillip M. Freligh and Spc. Jason D. Wildfong, the according to the press release of which Albawaba.com had an e-mail copy.
US air force officials identified the fifth American killed as Staff Sgt. Jason M. Faley, a tactical air controller.
Four of the injured, two Kuwaitis and two Americans, were treated and released.
Three other Americans were seriously injured and taken to a Kuwaiti medical facility, said the press release – Albawaba.com
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