4 soldiers killed in US military helicopter crash in Washington

Four U.S. soldiers were killed when a military helicopter crashed during a routine training mission in Washington state, authorities confirmed on Saturday (September 20).

The incident involved an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the U.S. Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), also known as the "Night Stalkers."

The aircraft went down around 9:30pm (local time) on Wednesday during a scheduled training flight, reports Anadolu Ajansi.

In an official statement, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command confirmed that all four personnel on board were killed. The victims were members of the elite special operations unit. Their identities have not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin.

Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, Leutenant General of U.S. Army Special Operations Command, extended his condolences in a statement on Friday, saying, “We mourn the loss of our fellow Night Stalkers and extend our deepest sympathies to their families, friends, and teammates.”

Military officials stated that the helicopter lost communication with air traffic control shortly before the crash. Rescue and recovery operations are ongoing at the crash site, and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident.