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US: Black Hawk helicopter crashes, killing 2

Dharvi Vaid
February 16, 2023

There were no survivors after a military helicopter belonging to the Tennessee National Guard crashed near a highway in Alabama.

https://p.dw.com/p/4NXvv
 Law enforcement work at the scene of the Black Hawk helicopter crash
The Madison County sheriff's office said there were no injuries to anyone on the ground when the helicopter crashedImage: Chris Montgomery/AP/picture alliance

A Black Hawk helicopter of the United States' Tennessee National Guard crashed in Alabama on Wednesday.

The helicopter went down at 3 pm local time while conducting a training flight near Highway 53 in Huntsville, the Tennessee National Guard said.

Smoke rises after a helicopter crashed in Harvest, Alabama
The highway along which the crash happened passes through commercial areasImage: Josh Smith State Farm/REUTER

Two crew members on board were killed 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, Tennessee's Adjutant General, said in a statement. 

"We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief."

No other people, servicemen or civilians, were injured in the crash, the Tennessee National Guard added.

Earlier, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency had said that a UH-60 helicopter, more commonly known as a Black Hawk, had crashed. 

"We have no survivors," Investigator Brent Patterson said. "We have a crime scene here. We have it taped off."

Madison County Congressman Dale Strong tweeted his condolences and confirmed that the crash involved a Black Hawk helicopter, and said that investigations were ongoing

AP contributed to this report

Edited by: Rob Turner