9 soldiers killed when 2 US army helicopters crash in Kentucky

ISTANBUL

All nine soldiers on board were killed when two US army helicopters crashed during a training mission in the southeastern US state of Kentucky late Wednesday, local media reported.

One of the HH60 Blackhawk helicopters was carrying five soldiers while the other carried four, Brig. Gen. John Lubas, with the 101st Airborne Division, told reporters Thursday.

“Despite our losses, we were lucky because they were able to land in an open field across from a residential area so thankfully there were no additional casualties or injuries as a result of the aircraft crash,” he said.

The cause of the collision is not yet known.

At around 10 p.m. Wednesday (0200GMT), two 101st Airborne Division helicopters crashed in Trigg County, Kentucky during a “routine training mission,” Nondice Thurman, a spokesperson for Fort Campbell, which sits astride the Kentucky-Tennessee border, said earlier.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Twitter: “We’ve got some tough news out of Fort Campbell … Please pray for all those affected.”

The 101st Airborne Division, also known as Screaming Eagles, is a specialized modular light infantry division of the US Army trained for air assault operations.