Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Capt. Ross A. Reynolds of Leominster, Massachusetts, Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy of Cambridge, Ohio, and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore of Catlettsburg, Kentucky, were killed in the crash south of Bodo, Norway, the Marines said in a news release.
The deceased Marines have been removed from the crash site and are in the process of being returned to the United States to be reunited with their families through a “dignified transfer.”
Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash.
“The pilots and crew were committed to accomplishing their mission and serving a cause greater than themselves,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Cederholm, the commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, in a letter to his Marines and their families.
“We will continue to execute the mission while keeping these Marines and their service on the forefront of our minds. We will never allow these Marines’ sacrifice to go unnoticed or unappreciated,” Cederholm said. “Keep these Marines and their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.”
All four of the marines were assigned to Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 261.
According to a statement from the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) of Northern Norway, the aircraft was reported missing at 6:26 p.m. local time, south of Bodo. It was due to land around 6 p.m., the statement said. The last known position of the aircraft was Saltfjellet.
Due to bad weather, police and rescue services were unable to enter the site from the air and were attempting to reach it by land, a JRCC spokesperson said.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force confirmed early Saturday that police officers had arrived at the crash site. On Sunday, Air Force officials said the deceased would remain in Bodo until they were transported back to the United States.
“The Norwegian Armed Forces continue to assist civilian authorities with the resources we have, and at the request of the police. The work continues under the leadership of the police and the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN),” officials said.
The drills are held every two years over large areas across Norway, including above the Arctic Circle, and seek to explore how Norway would manage reinforcements. Officials said they were planned long before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Store, shared his condolences with the families of the victims in a statement on Saturday morning.
“The soldiers participated in the NATO exercise Cold Response. Our deepest sympathies go to the soldiers’ families, relatives, and fellow soldiers in their unit,” Store said.
In a separate statement published to the unit’s Facebook page, Cederholm said the marines will continue to execute the mission despite the recent events.
“We mourn the loss of our four brothers who dedicated their lives to our Nation, and are deeply saddened by their loss. So, in a manner just like the crew of Ghost 31 would do, we honor them by taking to the skies again with their memory in our hearts, with nerves of steel, and ready to answer our great Nation’s call,” Cederholm said.
