FORT CAMPBELL, KY – Tragedy struck the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) on Wednesday evening when two US Army Blackhawk helicopters crashed during a training exercise in Trigg County, Kentucky.
All nine soldiers who were on board the helicopters were killed.
The accident occurred at around 10:00 pm while the helicopters were conducting a planned training exercise in and around the local Fort Campbell training area. The soldiers who lost their lives were members of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade based at Fort Campbell, Ky.
Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) deputy commanding general for operations, expressed his condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased soldiers. “This is a truly tragic loss for these families, our Division and Fort Campbell. Our number one priority is caring for the families and the soldiers within our combat aviation brigade,” he said.
The US Army has deployed an aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Ala. to conduct a thorough investigation into the accident. The identities of the deceased soldiers will be released once their families have been properly notified.
