US: Two Tennessee national guardsmen killed in military helicopter crash
Feb 16, 2023
Alabama [US], February 17 : At least two Tennessee National Guardsmen were killed following a fatal military helicopter crash during a training flight near Highway 53 near Huntsville, Alabama, CNN reported on Wednesday.
The H-60 Blackhawk Helicopter crashed on Wednesday afternoon around 3 pm near Highway 53 and Burwell Road in Huntsville, Alabama, according to the news release.
The federal and local authorities are investigating the crash and no other service members or civilians were injured in the incident.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy," Brigadier General Warner Ross, the adjutant general, said in a statement.
"We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief," he added.
The helicopter was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene, and the first responders found the remains of two people inside, Don Webster with Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc. told CNN.
Meanwhile, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency stated that troopers with its Highway Patrol Division and deputies from the Madison County sheriff's office responded to the crash site. Brent Patterson, a spokesperson with the Madison County sheriff's office, confirmed the crash to CNN earlier Wednesday and said that there were no survivors.
Several agencies have helicopters in the area, Webster said, so it took officials some time to determine who owned the helicopter involved. The helicopter had no visible markings because it had been completely burned, further complicating the effort to identify it, he added.
Alabama Congressman Dale W. Strong posted a tweet sending his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the crash.
"I'm deeply saddened by the fatal helicopter crash that happened in Madison County today. My heart hurts for those who lost their lives in this tragic incident and for their families as they learn of this news," Strong said in a tweet.
"I am in communication with local and state officials to learn the details of this crash. Right now we know it was a Black Hawk that crashed in north Madison County. There are no survivors," he added.
