Military helicopter crashes near base in Washington state, 4 soldiers on board believed to be dead, officials say
Four soldiers are believed to be dead after a military helicopter crashed on a routine training flight late Wednesday in a rural area near Joint Base Lewis–McChord in Washington state, according to the Army's Special Operations Command.
“Our hearts are with the families, friends, and teammates of these Night Stalkers,” Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, USASOC commander, said in a statement on Friday. “They were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and the Army Special Operations, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The helicopter, an MH-60 Black Hawk with four people on board, crashed at about 9 p.m. local time Wednesday, officials said.
The four individuals were servicemembers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the U.S Army Special Operations Command said.
These soldiers are the Army's best helicopter pilots and carry out all Special Operations missions for SEAL Team 6 and the Army's Delta Force.
Recovery efforts are continuing, and the names of the four soldiers will not be released "until appropriate," officials said.
A U.S. Army spokesperson said the helicopter was on a "routine training flight" when air traffic controllers lost touch with the aircraft.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders had said Thursday that officials located the crash site, but were "unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire and is starting to overheat their footwear."
Initial reports said the crash may have occurred near Summit Lake, the sheriff's office said.
"We have been advised that the military lost contact with a helicopter in the area, and we are working closely with JBLM to deploy any resources needed to assist," the base's public affairs office said in a social media post.
ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
