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Fresno-based fighter pilot killed in Ukraine identified as Lt. Col. Seth "Jethro" Nehring

Posted at 2:57 PM, Oct 17, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-17 17:57:22-04

An airman from Fresno was killedin a crash of a fighter jet in Ukraine, says Governor Jerry Brown.

Lt. Col. Seth "Jethro" Nehring, 44, was killed while taking part in a familiarization flight in a Russian-built Su-27UB fighter jet with a Ukrainian counterpart during a joint military exercise.

In a message, the Governor and First Lady extended their deepest condolences to Lt. Col. Nehring's family and friends.

Nehring was a member of the 194th Fighter Squadron, 144th Fighter Wing, of California Air National Guard based at the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport.

The Air National Guard is participating in Operation Clear Sky, which kicked off last week.

The U.S. and Ukrainian governments are investigating to determine the cause of the accident.

The two-seat Su-27UB went down on Tuesday in the Kmelnitskyi region of Eastern Ukraine.

Courtesy of ABC30 Action News.