Marines identified in aircraft crash that killed 4 near Norway

The four Marines who died in a training flight crash on Friday off the coast of Norway were identified in a release on Sunday.

The victims of the crash were Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy and Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, according to a release from the Marine Expeditionary Force.

All four of the victims were between ages 24 and 30.

The Marines were killed during a training flight south of Bodo, Norway. The crash is still under investigation and the deceased Marines were being returned to the U.S., the release said.

“The pilots and crew were committed to accomplishing their mission and serving a cause greater than themselves,” Maj. Gen. Michael Cederholm wrote of the victims in a letter to the 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,” he added.

The Marines were killed after their MV-22B Osprey aircraft crashed in the Arctic Ocean on Friday night while conducting a NATO training exercise known as “Cold Response.”

Nordland police chief of staff Bent Eilertsen told Reuters Friday that response teams “discovered an aircraft that has crashed. We’ve seen no sign of life.”