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Nine soldiers were killed when two US Army helicopters crashed on Wednesday during a night flying exercise in the United States, a military spokesman said Thursday.
Source: AFP
The two Black Hawk helicopters of the 101st Airborne Division crashed around 10:00 p.m. (0300 GMT) during a routine training mission in the state of Kentucky, in the east of the country.
“Nine soldiers died in the accident”said 101st Airborne Division spokesman Lt. Col. Anthony Hoefler.
The two devices, Black Hawks HH-60, a model designed for medical evacuations with the capacity to carry up to 11 people, crashed in Trigg County, northwest of Fort Campbell, the base of the 101st Airborne Division.
The accident took place when the helicopterThey were flying at night on a training mission carried out with night vision goggles, Brigadier General John Lubas said at a press conference.
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Five soldiers were in one helicopter and four in another, Lubas said.
The accident took place in a cleared area near a residential area.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that he is “saddened by this tragic loss” and works with the command of the armed forces to ensure that the troops and their families “get everything they need” after the accident.
“We are saddened by the tragic loss” and we remain together “with all those who are grieving as a result of this terrible, truly terrible accident,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre during the daily press conference. .
An investigation team has been dispatched to the area but for the time being it is unknown if the helicopters collided with each other.
MSNBC quoted a witness to the accident.
“Just two helicopters disappeared from the sky. There was a big flash.”said Nick Tomaszewski. He added that another helicopter flew over the area for about 30 minutes before ambulances arrived.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear decided to travel to Fort Campbell to support the “troops and their families after the tragic incident.” “His mourning is our mourning,” he said at a press conference.
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Fort Campbell is the base for the 101st Airborne Division, an air assault division also known as the Screaming Eagles, which made a name for itself during World War II. It also intervened in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the past there have been other accidents involving US military planes and helicopters.
A Black Hawk helicopter crashed in mid-February in Alabama, in the southern United States, killing the two occupants.
And a training plane crashed in September 2021 in Texas (south), forcing the two pilots to eject.
