An MH-60 Black Hawk Military Helicopter Patrolled At A US Military Base
An MH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter reportedly crashed in an area about 60 kilometres (40 miles) from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Washington state, the destination the troop was headed.
The troop on board was believed to be in the hardened “Night Stalkers” special operations regiment.
The Army Special Operations Command issued a media statement over the weekend, stating that four special operations officers were on board the chopper, which came down in less than 60 kilometres west of the base.
A spokesperson for the military said: “Four service members assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) were on board an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter involved in an aviation mishap in a rural area near Joint Base Lewis-McChord”.
The point in the thick forest where the Black Hawk Helicopter crashed and landed at night
Further information about the troop’s mission was released by a U.S. Army spokesperson who said the helicopter was on a “routine training flight” when communication was lost with air traffic control.
Reports indicate that the Thurston County Sheriff’s Department was called to a report of an explosion in the area.
It was confirmed that at the Thurston County sheriff’s, the King County sheriff’s office Guardian 1 helicopter promptly responded to the crash.
Thick smoke engulfed the Helicopter in the middle of the forest, thus making rescue and recovery cumbersome for the emergency responders
The King County sheriff’s office reportedly collaborated with JBLM, and deploy all available resources needed to assist.
According to reports by the Thurston County sheriff’s office, “Deputies located the crash site but have been unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire and is starting to overheat their footwear.”
Sadly, the four dedicated soldiers for special operations on board the helicopter regrettably turned out casualties of the air mishap.
SEARCH, RESCUE & RECOVERY EFFORTS
Emergency responders wasted no time locating the site of the crash, but they complained about the terrain where the Black Hawk crashed. The crash site was described as extremely “hard to reach”.
The emergency responders filed their reports along with video footages and still pictures of the fire sparked by the crash which reportedly smothered up to one acre of land.
One of the groups of emergency responders who promptly arrived at the crash site, but sadly, there was not much to achieve
Crews from the state Department of Natural Resources, and a fire truck from the nearby McLane Black Lake Fire Department also arrived at the scene.
The military base was also located about 15 kilometers (10 miles) south of Tacoma, and under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Joint Base Headquarters.
Moreover, the emergency responders conducted a frantic search and found the site in good time, although the time was past 9 PM. The painful aspect was that no single soul could be rescued, as only the charred body of the helicopter would be recovered for a thorough accident investigation.
CONDOLENCES: OVAL OFFICE YET TO ISSUE ONE
In a heartfelt condolence message by the USASOC commander, Lieutenant General, (Lt. Gen.) Jonathan Braga, he said in a statement: “Our hearts are with the families, friends, and teammates of these Night Stalkers”.
Gen Braga’s tribute further said, “They were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and the Army Special Operations, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
However, yet to be made public, if ever there will be, is the condolences by the first family in the USA,
The US flag was half hoisted at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
Recall that the Black Hawker helicopter crashed in Washington about 36 hours after President Donald Trump told the journalists huddled into the Air Force One when finally leaving Stansted, UK for the US after his two-day’ visit said, “Fly safely. You know why I say that? Because I’m on the flight, “Otherwise I wouldn’t care.”
It is very much hoped that the President would care about the four precious souls lost in the Black Hawk crash while in active service.
As he confessed earlier in Stansted, London, he said he doesn’t care. But we know the inbuilt system cares, it will be humane if the most exulted office should care more importantly, the holder of that office should not only show care covertly but must be seen to care and be caring.
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