The Washington Post reported today that nine soldiers lost their lives in the crash of two Black Hawk helicopters during a routine training mission in the skies over Kentucky late last night, Wednesday. U.S. Army spokesperson Nondis Thurman stated today that two HH-60 Black Hawk attack helicopters collided around 10 p.m. during a routine training mission in Trigg County, noting that the helicopters were from the 101st Airborne Division, which is the only air assault division in the U.S. Army.
She added, "The leadership is currently focused on caring for the soldiers and their families, especially since the status of the crew members is unknown," confirming that "the incident is under investigation." Brigadier General John Lopes, Deputy Commander of Operations, mentioned that little is known at this point about the cause of the crash and acknowledged uncertainty regarding the possibility of a collision.
He noted that a safety investigation team from Fort Rucker in Alabama would arrive later on Thursday to review data from the computers on board the two helicopters. Lopes indicated that one helicopter had five soldiers on board, while the other had four, and they were using night vision goggles. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear tweeted about the situation, saying, "We’ve got some tough news out of Fort Campbell, with early reports of a helicopter crash and fatalities are expected."
According to the Army, the HH-60 model of the Black Hawk helicopter is designed to provide support for various military operations, including air assaults and medical evacuations.
