Two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters crashed during a training mission in Trigg County, Kentucky, killing all nine service members on board, an Army official announced, describing the incident as a "truly tragic loss."
According to Army officials, the Black Hawk helicopters from the 101st Airborne Division, one with five people aboard and the other with four, were on a "routine training mission" when they crashed around 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Officials stated that the helicopters were "flying a multi-ship formation under night vision goggles."
According to Brigadier General Lubas, "we're hopeful that that will provide quite a bit of information on what occurred," the helicopters "have something very similar to the black boxes that we see on the larger aircraft."
The crash site, Trigg County, is approximately 25 miles northwest of Fort Campbell, a military base on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Kentucky State Police officers found the destruction in an area depicted as either a field or a semi-lush region, said Sarah Burgess, a police representative.
According to ABC News, Trigg County resident James Hughes saw the helicopters fly over his house and then heard a loud boom.
Hughes said that he and a friend raced to the crash site and saw two fires on the ground while his heart was beating fast.
Hughes stated, "You could see parts of the helicopter."
He continued, "There was nothing anyone could do."
The names of the service members have not been made public. The families will be notified, according to officials.
Andy, the governor of Kentucky, stated, "We're gonna wrap our arms around these families and we're gonna be there with them." Thursday, Beshear stated at a press conference.
"My heart goes out to the families of these service members and to the members of the 101st Airborne Division who bravely and proudly serve our country every day," Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement. I am working with Army leadership to ensure that our troops and their families receive the necessary care following this accident. I am saddened by this tragic loss."
"Our hearts and our prayers go out to their families during this very difficult time, as well as those who served alongside them at Fort Campbell," Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, stated on Thursday.
"We will continuously respect our responsibilities to our administration their relatives, and we stand with all who are lamenting right after this horrible, genuinely horrendous mishap," she said.
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