FOLLOWING a fatal military helicopter crash in Kentucky, United States a few weeks ago, two more aircraft had a mid-air Collision on Thursday near Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
This is where helicopters are based as part of the first attack battalion, the 25th aviation regiment.
Two AH-64 Apache helicopters crashed into each other while returning from a training flight.
Each aircraft had two soldiers on board.
From this, two of the soldiers died at the crash site, a third soldier died on the way to the hospital and a fourth soldier is being treated for injuries.
As of now, their names are being withheld until relatives have been notified, the US Army said.
Following Thursday’s incident, the US Army’s Chief of Staff James McConville issued an order effective immediately to ground all army aviators not involved in critical missions until they complete the required training.
“The move grounds all army aviators, except those participating in critical missions, until they complete the required training,” said US Army.
In a statement, James McConville US Army Chief of Staff said,
“The safety of our aviators is our top priority, and this stand down is an important step to make certain we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents and protect our personnel.”
He added that army pilots will focus on safety and training protocols to ensure their pilots and crews have the knowledge, training, and awareness to safely complete their assigned mission.
To note, Thursday’s crash follows after two black hawk helicopters collided late last month near Fort Campbell, Kentucky where all 9 soldiers aboard the 2 aircraft died during a nighttime training mission.
As of now, the incidents are being investigated but there is currently no indication of any pattern between the two says the US Army.
