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- Seven international peacekeepers, including five Americans, were killed Thursday when a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a routine mission in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials.
The Multinational Force and Observers, a group that monitors the 1979 Israeli-Egyptian peace accord and owned the aircraft, reported that the two additional victims were French and Czech. The MFO declined to release the names of the dead, pending the notification of their families.
An eighth crew member, also an American, was badly injured in the crash, and was subsequently airlifted to an Israeli hospital.
Both Israeli and Egyptian officials say the crash appears to have been an accident, and that there were no signs of the aircraft being attacked. The Czech Republic's military attributed the Black Hawk crash to technical malfunctions.
In a press release issued Thursday, the MFO said the group will conduct a further investigation into the cause of the accident.
While the precise location of the crash is unknown, an Egyptian official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media, said the helicopter crashed over the Red Sea waters outside of Egyptian boundaries.
In a statement released by the U.S. Department of Defense, Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller paid tribute to the lost service members.
"Yesterday we recognized the sacrifice of millions who have defended our nation, and today we are reminded of the last full measure our warriors may pay for their service," he said, offering his condolences to the family and friends of the service members killed in the crash.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden expressed his condolences to family members of the deceased in a tweet Thursday.
"I join all Americans in honoring their sacrifice, as I keep their loved ones in my prayers," he wrote.
Founded after the Egyptian-Israeli peace deal in 1979, the MFO is made up of troops from 13 countries, with the United States making the largest contribution. Its responsibilities include ensuring the freedom of navigation through the Strait of Tiran. Last year, the U.S. provided approximately $31 million to the organization.
Thursday's crash was the deadliest crash for the U.S. military this year.
Carla Babb contributed to this report.