Key takeaways:
- Nine U.S. service members were killed in a mid-air collision of two Black Hawk helicopters near Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
- The Army released a statement identifying the soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division who were killed in the incident.
- The Army is conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash and the families of the victims have been notified and are being provided with support.
Nine U.S. service members were killed in a mid-air collision of two Black Hawk helicopters near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on Wednesday evening. The U.S. Army has identified the nine soldiers who were aboard the two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters during a routine training mission when the incident occurred.
The Army released a statement identifying the soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division who were killed in the incident as Warrant Officer 1 Jeffrey Barnes, 33; Cpl. Jacob Sims, 24; Sgt. Thomas Florich, 25; Sgt. William Turner, 25; Sgt. Tyler Shelton, 22; Sgt. Jonathon Turner, 23; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ryan Connolly, 37; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Taylor Mitchell, 30; and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32.
Five crew members were aboard one helicopter and four were in the other, Army officials said during a news briefing on the collision. The accident occurred near a residential field, but no residents were injured as a result of the crash.
“This is a time of great sadness for the 101st Airborne Division,” said Maj. Gen. JP McGee, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division. “The loss of these Soldiers will reverberate through our formations for years to come.”
The Army is conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash. The families of the victims have been notified and are being provided with support.
Be First to Comment