Two US Army soldiers died when an attached to the service’s Fort Hood base crashed into a field in Texas on Wednesday.
“An AH-64E Apache attack helicopter based at Fort Hood crashed today in Salado. Two soldiers are confirmed deceased,” the base said in a statement.
“Fort Hood personnel remain on scene working in coordination with local first responders.”
According to US media reports, the accident occurred in Bell County, about 100 km north of the state capital Austin.
What Bell County Sheriff’s Office said
Cliff Coleman, a spokesperson with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office, said the Bell County justice of the peace declared two people dead who had been on board.
No cause of the crash was immediately announced. Fort Hood’s criminal investigation division was leading the crash investigation, Coleman said.
“You could tell it was a violent crash,” Coleman said.
According to him, the helicopter did not hit any homes or other structures when it crashed.
Images provided by Coleman showed firefighters examining burning debris amid a large patch of charred grass, with smoke billowing from the scene. Several local fire departments responded to the blaze, he said.
Routine training flight turns tragic
“Today, an Apache helicopter crashed in Bell County during Fort Hood operations, killing two members of our military,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on X.
The soldiers were transported to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, and their names are being withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and fellow Troopers of those involved during this incredibly difficult time,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, 1st Cavalry Division acting commanding general, said in a statement.
A military official told the Associated Press that the crashed Apache was out on a routine training flight when it went down.
AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
According to the Associated Press, the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter has been a key part of the military’s fleet since the first versions were deployed in 1984. The Apache crew sits behind each other with the pilot in the rear and the co-pilot gunner in the front position.
is a massive base with 214,968 acres that is used to train and deploy heavy forces. The Army says the rolling, arid terrain around the base provides an ideal training ground.
The deadly helicopter crash comes around two months after a US Air Force B-52 bomber crashed in California, killing all eight people on board.
In November 2015, four soldiers were killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training exercise. And nine Fort Hood soldiers died in 2016 when a rain-swollen creek swept their vehicle into rushing waters.
