Four Army personnel perished in a Black Hawk helicopter crash within Thurston County
In a tragic turn of events, a MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), known as the "Night Stalkers," crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) on Thursday. The incident occurred in the Capitol Forest, Thurston County, west of Olympia, with the aircraft going down during a routine training flight by the military unit.
Air traffic controllers at JBLM's Gray Airfield lost touch with the helicopter at 9 p.m. on the previous night. First responders, including special operation rescue units from the county and JBLM, remained at the crash site on Thursday. The King County Sheriff's Office Guardian 1 helicopter was overhead during the incident, and the Thurston County Sheriff's Office worked with JBLM to deploy resources to the site.
The crash is being investigated as an "aviation mishap" by U.S. Army officials. Four U.S. Army service members were onboard the helicopter during the routine training flight by the military unit. The status of these service members involved in the crash is not provided at this time.
The 160th SOAR is made up of the best pilots in the Army, known for their involvement in high-profile special operations missions. This elite military unit, which operates primarily at night and specializes in surprise attacks, has a reputation for its significant role in various military operations.
911 calls were received from people in the area reporting a helicopter crash. Search efforts are underway following the incident, and the fire at the crash site has spread to 1 acre. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WADNR) is working with the military and other agencies to put out the fire.
KOMO News has requested updates on the individuals involved and is waiting to hear back from U.S. Army officials. Our thoughts are with the service members, their families, and all those affected by this unfortunate event.
