At least nine people are feared dead as a result of collision between two Black Hawk helicopters during a routine training exercise in Kentucky, United States of America.
According to Daily Mail Online reports, the governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, had tweeted in the early hours of Thursday, saying there was “tough news out of Fort Campbell.”
The base, situated on the Kentucky-Tennessee border 60 miles north west of Nashville, is home to the 101st Airborne Regiment and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.
A local man reportedly told a radio station: “Two helicopters came over pretty low, and all of a sudden – as soon as they got over the house – something popped, a loud bang. And everything shut down all of a sudden.
“So we jumped in the truck and got over here, and that’s what we found – two helicopters.”
A spokesman for Fort Campbell, Nondice Thurman, confirmed that the crashes occurred at about 10pm on Wednesday in Trigg County, near Highway 68.
The aircraft were two Blackhawk helicopters being operated by the 101st Airborne Division.
Crew members were flying the aircraft during a routine training mission when an ‘incident’ occurred.
Local media reported nine people are feared to be dead.
A U.S. Army soldier at the scene confirmed that there were “multiple deaths.”
The station reported that Trigg County Coroner, John Mark Vinson, had been called to the scene.
Weather conditions at the time were reported to be clear with light to no wind.
“The command is currently focused on caring for the service members and their families,” the base said in a statement.
In July, a $5 million helicopter training facility, unique in the nation, was opened at the site, featuring a sea vessel flight deck used ‘to facilitate safe and realistic training for aircrews and ground operators prior to operating in a harsh over-water environment,’ the Army said.
In February this year, a UH-60 Alpha-model Black Hawk helicopter flew for the first time entirely unmanned, controlled from Fort Campbell.
