Kentucky during training mission, Army says


Nine US service members were killed after two helicopters with the 101st Airborne Division crashed late Wednesday in southwestern Kentucky, officials said. There were no survivors.

The two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed around 10 p.m. in Trigg County near the Tennessee border, officials at nearby Fort Campbell said early Thursday. They were taking part “in a routine training mission when the incident occurred,” the base said in a statement on Facebook.

The helicopters were medical evacuation aircraft, and it’s believed the crash happened while they were flying and not during a medical evacuation drill, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, deputy commander of the 101st Airborne Division, said during a Thursday morning news conference at Fort Campbell.

The aircraft went down in an open field across from a residential area, so no additional casualties or injuries were reported, he said.The Black Hawks that crashed were two of four total helicopters taking part in the training exercise, according to 101st Airborne Division spokesman Staff Sgt. Joshua Tverberg.

One helicopter had stopped to refuel, and another was ahead of the two that went down.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a later statement on Thursday that he was “saddened by this tragic loss” and was working with the Army to “make sure our troops and their families receive the care that they need in the wake of this accident.”

“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 each and every day,” he said. 

Last edited by Spunky (3/30/2023 3:35 pm)