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It’s unclear how many people were in the two helicopters, and base officials said the status of all crew members was unknown Thursday morning.
WASHINGTON — Nine people were reported dead after two U.S. Army air assault helicopters crashed Wednesday night during a training exercise in Kentucky, resulting in multiple casualties according to officials
In a Facebook post, base officials from Fort Campbell said the incident happened around 10 p.m. Two HH60 Blackhawk helicopters with the 101st Airborne Division crashed during a “routine training mission,” base officials said.Â
It’s unclear how many people were in the two helicopters, and base officials initially said the status of all crew members was unknown Thursday morning.
By 9:30 a.m. Eastern, army officials told the Associated Press that nine people were killed in the crash.Â
A press conference by officials investigating the crash is expected around 10 a.m. Eastern.Â
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday morning that “fatalities are expected” as a result of the crash. In a tweet the governor said local officials were responding to the crash and promised more details soon.Â
The 101st Airborne Division, nicknamed the “Screaming Eagles,” is the only air assault division of the U.S. Army.
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A Facebook post from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) confirmed two aircraft from their division were involved in the incident, and confirmed several casualties in the crash.Â
“We can confirm two aircraft from the 101st were involved in an accident last night resulting in serval casualties,” the Facebook post reads. “Right now the focus is on the Soldiers and their families who were involved.”
While casualties are often associated with death, in military language the word is used to describe both deaths and injuries among soldiers.
The crash happened in Trigg County, a small county on the southwest border of Kentucky, about an hour north of Nashville. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of just over 14,000.Â
CNN reports that a spokesman for the Kentucky State Police confirmed that troopers were assisting after a helicopter incident in a rural part of the county.Â
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.Â
Ed. Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.Â
