Six US soldiers killed in Iraq military plane crash
A US military refueling plane crashes in western Iraq, killing six soldiers on board.
A suspicious package found outside the gate of a U.S. Air Force base in Florida earlier this week contained “possible energetic material,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday, March 18.
The suspicious package was reported at around 11:20 a.m. local time on Monday, March 16, at the MacDill Air Force Base Visitor Center near the gate, according to a statement from the base. First responders set up a cordon “out of an abundance of caution” and diverted traffic to another gate, the statement said.
By about 5 p.m., the base announced that “the incident was over and the scene was declared safe.” Normal gate operations resumed and the package was removed from the scene by Special Agent Bomb Technicians from the FBI’s Tampa Field Office.
As a result of a preliminary investigation, the FBI announced that it conducted an on-site investigation of the contents of the package and identified “possible energetic materials.” The FBI did not provide details about the substances contained in the package.
According to the Safety Management Service, energetic materials are materials that store large amounts of chemical energy and rapidly release chemical energy through heat, impact, or friction. Common energetic materials include explosives, propellants, and fuels.
The FBI said in a March 18 statement that “final laboratory analysis has not yet been completed” and that “the investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details can be shared at this time.”
MacDill Air Force Base on high alert during Iran war
MacDill Air Force Base is located on the southwest tip of the Interbay Peninsula in Tampa, Florida. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is headquartered at the base and is responsible for military operations in 20 countries across the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia.
Since the Iran war began on February 28, U.S. military bases, including MacDill Air Force Base, and federal counterterrorism agencies have been on high alert for possible retaliatory attacks against the United States. Several military bases have been placed on lockdown in response to the potential threat, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.
On Tuesday, March 17, MacDill Air Force Base announced that it is operating under a Force Protection Charlie referred to as “FPCON CHARLIE.” According to the Defense Logistics Agency, the FPCON level is the second highest alert level, indicating a possible threat.
“This posture allows us to proactively implement intentional safety measures,” the base said in a statement. “All personnel must remain vigilant, follow instructions from security forces, and report any suspicious activity immediately. We are all doing our part to protect the base. If you see something, please speak up.”
“We take all threats seriously.”
In the early morning hours of March 18, MacDill Air Force Base received a threat and was ordered to shelter in place. He said the order has since been lifted, but the base is still operating under FPCON CHARLIE.
“We take all threats seriously and are taking appropriate steps to prioritize the safety and security of our facilities,” the base said in a statement. “As a matter of policy, we do not release details about what security measures have been implemented.”
Centcom confirmed last week that six U.S. service members were killed when a KC-135 tanker plane crashed in midair over western Iraq. Three of the service members were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base.
