Several feared dead after two US Army Blackhawk helicopters crash
Two US Army Blackhawk helicopters have crashed during a routine training exercise over Kentucky.
There was no immediate update on the status of the crew members on board, but state governor Andy Beshear said on Twitter that ‘fatalities are expected’.
In a statement, the Army base Fort Campbell said: ‘The command is currently focused on caring for the service members and their families.’
The two HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, collided at around 10pm on Wednesday in Trigg County.
One local told WKDZRadio: ‘Two helicopters came over pretty low, and all of a sudden – as soon as they got over the house – something popped, a loud bang. And everything shut down all of a sudden.
‘So, we jumped in the truck and got over here, and that’s what we found – two helicopters.’
A US Army soldier at the scene told the station there were ‘multiple deaths’ in the crash.
An investigation is underway into its cause.
The 101st Airborne, nicknamed the ‘Screaming Eagles’, is the US Army’s only air assault division.
The HH-60 is a variant of the Blackhawk helicopter designed to provide support for various military operations, including air assaults and medical evacuations, according to the Army.
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