According to media sources, nine American troops from the elite 101st Airborne Division – the US Army’s sole air assault force – were killed after two Black Hawk helicopters crashed during a “regular training trip” in Kentucky late on Wednesday.
The 101st Airborne Division was involved in the incident, which occurred during a training exercise near the Fort Campbell military post on Wednesday about 10 p.m. local time (2 a.m. GMT), according to the BBC.
According to the report, US military authorities called the incident a “really heartbreaking loss.”
Crew members were flying “during a regular training operation when the event happened,” according to a Facebook post from Fort Campbell.
Kentucky State Police responded to the report about 10.15 p.m. (local time) and hurried to a field and woods, according to State Police Post 1 spokesman Trooper Sarah Burgess, who added that no residential areas were damaged.
According to the BBC, a US Army spokeswoman stated earlier in a statement that two HH60 Black Hawk helicopters had crashed during “a regular training exercise,” that the event was under investigation, and that additional information would be published as it became available.
