Announcements
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2018Governor Cuomo Directs Flags to Half-Staff
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff today, March 19, to honor the four New York National Guard members who were killed when the helicopter they were flying crashed in Iraq on Thursday, March 15, 2018.
"On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest condolences to the friends and family of these courageous New York National Guard members," Governor Cuomo said. "We join their loved ones and fellow service members in honoring the sacrifice they have made, so that others may live free in New York and across the entire nation."
The four New York Air National Guard members, assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing, were stationed at F. S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach. The service members were killed, along with three others, when their HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopter crashed near the city of Qaim in Iraq. There is no evidence of enemy action involved in the crash, and the incident is under investigation, according to the Department of Defense.
The service members killed in the crash were
- Capt. Christopher Zanetis, from Long Island City
- Capt. Andreas O'Keeffe, from Center Moriches
- Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso, from Commack
- Staff Sgt. Dashan Briggs, from Port Jefferson
The 106th Rescue Wing specializes in air, land, and sea rescue of pilots and other military personnel.
More information is available on the governor's website.
