Army Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Kentucky, identities of 9 dead released
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A pair of U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters slammed into each other during a nighttime training incident in Kentucky on Wednesday, killing nine servicemembers.
The HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, collided around 10 p.m. local time amid a training session in Trigg County, located just west of Fort Campbell, the Army base said in a statement early Thursday.
One helicopter had five people aboard and the other had four, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 101st Airborne deputy commander, said. There were no survivors.
“This was a training progression, and specifically they were flying a multi-ship formation, two ships, under night vision goggles at night,” Lubas explained.
He said officials believe the accident occurred when “they were doing flying, not deliberate medical evacuation drills.”
The division, the only air assault unit in the United States, initially said the crash resulted in “several casualties” but it did not provide specifics or further details.
“Right now our focus is on the Soldiers and their families who were involved,” it said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear during a news conference on Thursday vowed the state would do everything in its power to help the loved ones of those who perished.
“We’re going to do what we always do,” the governor said. “We’re going to wrap our arms around these families, and we’re going to be there with them, not just for the days, but the weeks and the months and the years to come.”
Members of the Kentucky Senate also reflected on the tragedy and offered a moment of silence Thursday morning in remembrance of the crash victims.
“We do not know the extent of what has gone on, but I understand it is bad and there has been a substantial loss of life of our military,” Senate President Robert Stivers told the chamber.
The Kentucky State Police and Division of Emergency Management were responding to the crash site, according to Beshear. Military investigators and several other agencies were also on the scene.
“The crash occurred in a field, some wooded area,” Kentucky State Police Trooper Sarah Burgess told reporters. “At this time, there are no reports of residence damage.”
Burgess added that there no injuries to those on the ground at the time of the crash.
Both helicopters are equipped with technology similar to the black boxes on passenger planes, which records flight data and are often used by investigators to analyze crashes.
“We’re hopeful that will provide quite a bit of information of what occurred,” Lubas added.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
On Friday, a statement was released from the Fort Campbell Army base, identifying the nine servicemembers who lost their lives in the accident.
Warrant Officer 1 Jeffery Barnes, 33, of Milton, Florida
Cpl. Emilie Marie Eve Bolanos, 23, of Austin, Texas
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Zachary Esparza, 36, of Jackson, Missouri
Sgt. Isaacjohn Gayo, 27, of Los Angeles, California
Staff Sgt. Joshua C. Gore, 25, of Morehead City, North Carolina
Warrant Officer 1 Aaron Healy, 32, of Cape Coral, Florida
Staff Sgt. Taylor Mitchell, 30, of Mountain Brook, Alabama
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Rusten Smith, 32, of Rolla, Missouri
Sgt. David Solinas Jr, 23, of Oradell, New Jersey
With News Wire Services
