Four US army soldiers killed in Washington state Black Hawk crash

Four US Army soldiers, members of an elite unit that conducts nighttime missions, died when the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter they were aboard crashed earlier this week near a military base in Washington state, Army officials said on September 20.

The helicopter, part of a routine training mission, went down west of Joint Base Lewis-McChord at approximately 9 p.m. local time on September 17, according to the US Army Special Operations Command. The soldiers were assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, Caliber.Az reports via AP. 

Recovery operations are ongoing, and Army officials said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. The National Weather Service reported mostly clear skies and light winds from the south in the area around the time of the incident.

Army officials stated that the names of the soldiers would be released “when appropriate,” out of respect for their families.

“Our hearts are with the families, friends, and teammates of these Night Stalkers,” said Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, USASOC Commander. “They were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and the Army Special Operations, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

By Sabina Mammadli