Two people have died after a Black Hawk helicopter from the Tennessee National Guard crashed in Alabama.
“We have no survivors,” said investigator Brent Patterson. “We have a crime scene here. We have it taped off.”
No one on the ground was hurt but the National Guard confirmed two crew had died.
The UH-60 Black Hawk was on a training mission when it crashed and caught fire around 3pm local time on Wednesday.
Video showed thick black smoke rising from the scene on Highway 53 in Madison County, about 10 miles northwest of Huntsville.
Troopers from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s highway patrol were on the scene, alongside deputies from the local sheriff’s office.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy,” said Brigadier General Warner Ross.
“We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief.”
The helicopter is used by militaries around the world. File pic
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The Black Hawk has been used by armed forces around the world for decades and is regarded as a reliable and adaptable aircraft.
It can carry up to 12 troops and the US Army operates more than 2,000 of them – but there have been other recent crashes.
In 2022, a Black Hawk collided with another helicopter while landing during whiteout conditions near a Utah ski resort. Luckily no one was hurt.
The year before, three Idaho Army National Guard pilots died when their Black Hawk came down near Boise.
And in 2020, two soldiers were killed and three injured when their helicopter crashed off Southern California.