A pair of U.S. Army helicopters crashed Wednesday night in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission with all nine service members on board reportedly killed.
AP reports the two HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, came down around 10 p.m. in Trigg County, Kentucky, according to a statement from Fort Campbell.
The 101st Airborne confirmed the crash, saying on Twitter it resulted in “several casualties” but did not specify whether those were injuries or deaths.
File/ U.S. Army 101st Airborne A1C Chad Anderson from Twin Falls, Idaho, does maintenance work on a Pave Hawk HH-60 helicopter February 5, 2002 at the airbase in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“Right now our focus is on the Soldiers and their families who were involved,” it added.
The state’s governor, Andy Beshear, said it was “tough news” and that “fatalities are expected.”
Local news reports say the incident happened at about 21:35 local time and as many as nine people may have been killed.
The HH-60 is a variant of the Black Hawk helicopter designed to provide support for various military operations, including air assaults and medical evacuations, according to the army.
ABC News reports an Army official confirmed the death toll.
UPDATE:
In the Kentucky House and in the Senate, members stood for a moment of silence Thursday morning in honor of the crash victims. Kentucky state Rep. Walker Thomas said the crash occurred about 15 to 20 minutes from his home, AP reports.
“They’re there to protect us,” Thomas said. “And we’re constantly seeing these helicopters flying over our communities.”
Thomas spoke about how connected Fort Campbell soldiers and their families are to the communities near the Army post.
“The Fort Campbell soldiers that live in our communities, go to our churches … they go to our schools, their kids do,” he added. “And this really hurts.”
Last month, two Tennessee National Guard pilots were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed along an Alabama highway during a training exercise.