US service members’ bodies recovered from crash site in Afghanistan

The remains of the two U.S. service members killed in a jet crash in Afghanistan on Monday have been recovered, U.S. forces in Afghanistan announced.

The identity of the victims aboard the Air Force E-11A will be released this week after their families are notified. 

Though the crash happened in Taliban-occupied Ghazni province, officials reportedly faced no Taliban resistance while searching for the aircraft, and there are no suspicions that foul play caused the crash. 

Air Force spokesman Col. Sonny Leggett confirmed the crash of the U.S. Bombardier E-11A on Twitter Monday.

“While the cause of the crash is under investigation, there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire,” he posted.

A U.S. Bombardier E-11A crashed today in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. While the cause of crash is under investigation, there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.

— USFOR-A Spokesman Col Sonny Leggett (@USFOR_A) January 27, 2020

Provincial government spokesperson Arif Noori told CBS News that the bodies of two pilots were found at the site. He said the plane was thought to have been flying between Kandahar and Kabul.

U.S. Forces Afghanistan said in a statement that the remains of the two killed U.S. service members were found “near the crash site,” and that U.S. forces recovered what is believed to be the aircraft flight data recorder.

An investigation is ongoing but the military said “there are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire.” U.S. forces destroyed the remnants of the aircraft after retrieving the service members’ bodies as well as the data recorder.

Updated: 2:29 p.m.