A routine training operation over Kentucky resulted in the crashes of two US Army Blackhawk helicopters.
On Twitter, Ohio governor Andy Beshear stated that “fatalities are expected,” but there was no immediate update on the condition of the crew members on board.
The Fort Campbell Army Base issued a statement stating: “The command is currently focused on caring for the service members and their families.”
The two HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, collided at around 10pm on Wednesday in Trigg County.
One local told WKDZRadio: ‘Two helicopters came over pretty low, and all of a sudden – as soon as they got over the house – something popped, a loud bang. And everything shut down all of a sudden.
‘So, we jumped in the truck and got over here, and that’s what we found – two helicopters.’
A US Army soldier at the scene told the station there were ‘multiple deaths’ in the crash.
An investigation is underway into its cause.
The 101st Airborne, nicknamed the ‘Screaming Eagles’, is the US Army’s only air assault division.
The HH-60 is a variant of the Blackhawk helicopter designed to provide support for various military operations, including air assaults and medical evacuations, according to the Army.