Two people killed in US army helicopter crash
Updated . First published at
Two people have been killed when a United States army helicopter crashed on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) in central Texas.
The fatalities were both aboard the AH-64 Apache helicopter when it came down near the military base Ford Hood, reports Associated Press.
The charred crash site after a US army helicopter came down in Texas. 9News
No cause of the crash was immediately announced. Fort Hood’s criminal investigation division was leading the crash investigation, said Bell County Sheriff spokesperson Cliff Coleman.
A military official said the crashed Apache was out on a routine training flight when it went down. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a developing situation.
The helicopter did not hit any homes or other structures when it crashed, Coleman said.
“You could tell it was a violent crash,” Coleman said.
A tanker aircraft dumps fire retardant on a field southwest of Salado, Texas, after a military helicopter crashed and sparked a grass fire. (Brent Johnson/The Killeen Daily Herald via AP)
Photographs from the scene showed firefighters walking around a charred field as plumes of dark smoke rose from flames still burning in the wreckage.
“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” said Brigadier-General Ethan Diven, acting commanding general.
“Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”
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.
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