Two soldiers were killed on Saturday when an Apache helicopter crashed during a training exercise at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The two soldiers who died have been identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin M. Burke, 35, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr., 25, both of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade’s 1st Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.
Capt. Jeremy Hayhurst of the 101st Airborne Division said in a statement that the soldiers were part of a unit that had deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012.
The military is investigating a deadly crash involving a helicopter. According to reports, an Apache helicopter crashed during a routine flight training exercise at Fort Irwin in California. Two soldiers were killed as a result of the accident.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two great soldiers,” said Colonel Patrick Hynes, Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Aviation Regiment in a press release. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected during this difficult time.”
The names of the killed soldiers have not been released pending notification of their families.
According to Colonel Hynes, the cause of the accident is currently under investigation by Army safety officials.
An Apache helicopter, the most advanced and heavily armed combat helicopter in the U.S. military arsenal, crashed Wednesday in southern Afghanistan, killing two soldiers, the U.S.-led coalition said.
Details of the crash and the identities of those killed were being withheld pending notification of next of kin, the coalition said in a statement. It did not say where in southern Afghanistan the crash occurred or if there were any survivors.
The cause of the crash was under investigation, it said.
Apaches are flown by two-person crews, who sit side by side with flight controls between them. The pilot flies the aircraft while the co-pilot operates its sophisticated weapons systems, which include 30mm cannon and Hellfire missiles. The helicopters also carry other weapons such as 70mm rockets and air-to-air Stinger missiles.
The aircraft has been a key element in combating Taliban insurgents since U.S.-led forces overthrew their regime in 2001 for harboring al-Qaida terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks on America.
A US Army Apache helicopter crashed, killing two soldiers. The cause of the accident is unknown. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash. The two soldiers killed in the crash were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Robert M. Baldwin and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Thomas A. Galvin, who were on a training mission at the time of the accident.
The helicopter was flying over Fort Hood in Texas when it went down around 7:30 p.m., according to a news release from the Army. The crash occurred during an “air movement” that included eight other helicopters conducting maneuvers in preparation for a deployment, said Lt. Col. Jennifer Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Army’s III Corps at Fort Hood.
The names of the victims have not been released by the Army yet but it has confirmed that they were both members of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment stationed at Fort Hood.*
Two soldiers were killed when an Apache helicopter crashed during a training exercise at Fort Irwin in California. The two crew members were identified as Capt. Kirk L. Hays, 30, of Idaho and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Richard E. Green, 35, of Winston-Salem, N.C., according to the Los Angeles Times.
The crash occurred at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday after the AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter experienced technical problems while in flight and was making an emergency landing, according to a statement by the Army National Guard.
According to reports, U.S. Army Apache helicopter crash near Kandahar killed two soldiers on Tuesday morning during a routine mission.
This tragedy is the latest in a series of accidents and crashes involving American military helicopters. In the past several months, there were two different helicopter crashes in Afghanistan that cost several lives and last week another chopper made an emergency landing in Iraq due to technical difficulties.
The first reports about the latest helicopter crash indicate that Taliban fighters are not involved in this incident. However, the Taliban insurgents announced that they shot down a helicopter; however, NATO officials deny these claims.
“Two pilots were killed when their Apache helicopter crashed at 8:30 am (0400 GMT) near Kandahar city. The cause of the crash is under investigation and insurgent activity has been ruled out,” said NATO spokesman Major Jamie Davis, according to AFP news agency.
The bodies of the two soldiers were recovered from the site and brought to Camp Bastion hospital where they were pronounced dead, added Davis.
The names of the victims will not be released until 24 hours after their families have been notified about their deaths.
The helicopter was carrying two soldiers when it crashed in Helmand province, the military said.
Maj. Gen. Wilson A. Shoffner, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, said the crash was not caused by insurgent activity and that an investigation into the incident has been opened.
“We will release more details as appropriate,” he said.
The United States maintains more than 10,000 troops in Afghanistan to train and advise Afghan forces. About 2,100 of them are involved in counter-terrorism operations against al Qaeda and the Taliban and have expanded their mission to target Islamic State militants who have established a small presence in eastern areas of the country.