US Army withholds name of 3rd soldier killed in mid-air collision

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US Army on Friday said it will not release the name of one of the three soldiers killed in Wednesday’s mid-air collision near Washington, DC.

In a statement, the Army identified two of the soldiers as 28-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara and 39-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves.

"At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time," it said.

The Army added that the third soldier is also listed as duty status–whereabouts unknown.

A total of 67 people were killed after a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and plunged into the Potomac River late Wednesday.