9 killed in Army Black Hawk helicopter crash in Kentucky
Fort Campbell (US), Mar 30: Nine people were killed in a crash involving two Army Black Hawk helicopters in Kentucky, a military spokesperson said.
Nondice Thurman, a spokesperson for Fort Campbell, said Thursday morning that the deaths happened the previous night in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission.
A statement from Fort Campbell says the two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, crashed around 10 p.m. Wednesday in Trigg County, Kentucky. The 101st Airborne confirmed the crash about 30 mile (48 kilometres) northwest of Fort Campbell. The crash is under investigation.
"Right now our focus is on the Soldiers and their families who were involved," the statement added.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had said earlier that fatalities were expected, adding that police and emergency officials were responding.
"The crash occurred in a field, some wooded area," Kentucky State Police Trooper Sarah Burgess said at a news briefing. "At this time, there are no reports of residence damage."
Fort Campbell is located near the Tennessee border, about 60 miles (97 kilometres) northwest of Nashville, and the crash occurred in the Trigg County, Kentucky, community of Cadiz.
Nick Tomaszewski, who lives about a mile from where the crash occurred, said he saw two helicopters flying over his house moments before the crash.
"For whatever reason last night my wife and I were sitting there looking out on the back deck and I said "Wow, those two helicopters look low and they look kind of close to one another tonight," he said.
The helicopters flew over and looped back around and moments later "we saw what looked like a firework went off in the sky."
"All of the lights in their helicopter went out. It was like they just poofed ... and then we saw a huge glow like a fireball," Tomaszewski said.
Flyovers for training exercises happen almost daily and the helicopters typically fly low but not so close together, he said.
"There were two back to back. We typically see one and then see another one a few minutes later, and we just saw two of them flying together last night," he said.
Members of the Kentucky Senate stood for a moment of silence Thursday morning in honour of the crash victims.
"We do not know the extent of what has gone on, but I understand it is bad and there has been a substantial loss of life of our military," Senate President Robert Stivers told the sombre chamber.
Last month, two Tennessee National Guard pilots were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed along an Alabama highway during a training exercise.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Coffee grower dies in elephant attack in K'taka
Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): A 49-year-old coffee grower died in an elephant attack on Thursday, officials said.
The incident occurred around noon when Ganapathi went to his coffee plantation near Siddapura in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district, they said.
According to forest department, Ganapathi was trampled by the wild elephant which suddenly appeared in the coffee plantation.
Following the death, villagers staged protest rasing concerns about the increasing movement of wild elephants in human settlements and plantations in this district.
"An alert regarding movement of elephant was issued to residents of the area. Our team rushed to the spot as soon as we received the information. All concerns raised by the villagers are being addressed," a senior forest department official said.
Orders have been given to the officials concerned to monitor movement of the elephant involved in the attack and capture it, he said.
"All teams are already vigilant and monitoring the movement of the wild elephant. All efforts are being taken to capture it. The operation will begin tomorrow," he added.
