According to officials from the local sheriff’s office in the United States, a military helicopter crashed in a field in central Texas on Wednesday afternoon (August 12th), resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
Cliff Coleman, spokesperson for the Bell County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, stated that the Apache helicopter from Fort Hood military base crashed around 1:35 p.m. local time, and the two pilots on board were confirmed dead.
The crash triggered a large-scale wildfire, prompting rescue personnel to rush to the scene for containment efforts. Local evacuations were also initiated as a precautionary measure. Coleman mentioned that the helicopter did not hit any buildings or individuals.
“It crashed in the field, indicating a significant impact,” he added.
The military base confirmed in a statement that the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter belonged to Fort Hood. Local emergency responders, military personnel, and law enforcement agencies have all arrived at the scene.
In a statement, Acting Commander General Ethan Diven said, “Our top priority is ensuring the safety of the scene and supporting initial emergency response efforts. While awaiting further updates, our thoughts are with the flight crew members and their families.”
Currently, it is unclear where the helicopter took off from or its intended destination.