Key takeaways:
- Two people aboard a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter were pronounced dead after the aircraft crashed near Salado, Texas.
- The helicopter was based at Fort Hood, and the Army did not immediately release the victims’ identities or a cause of the crash.
- Authorities said the crash occurred in a field, did not hit homes or other structures, and sparked a large fire that was reported out of control Wednesday afternoon.
Two people were killed Wednesday when a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter from Fort Hood crashed into a field near Salado, Texas, authorities said, sparking a large fire but striking no homes or other structures.
Local authorities said the two people aboard the aircraft were pronounced dead at the scene. The Bell County Sheriff’s Office said police responded to an emergency call at about 1:33 p.m. local time about wreckage in fields south of the village of Salado. CBS News reported that the victims were pronounced dead around 2:30 p.m.
The Army confirmed the aircraft was an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter based at Fort Hood, the major Army installation near Killeen, northwest of Salado and about 70 miles north of Austin. The service did not immediately release the identities of those killed or provide details about what may have caused the crash.
Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, said the Army’s focus was on the crash site and the initial response.
“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Diven said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”
A Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson described a severe crash scene. CBS News identified the spokesperson as Bill Coleman and quoted him saying, “You could tell this was a violent crash.” The outlet reported that he said the helicopter went down in a field and did not hit any homes or other structures.
The BBC identified the sheriff’s office spokesperson as Cliff Coleman and reported that, when officers arrived, they found the wreckage and a large fire that was “getting out of control very quickly.” CBS News reported that the crash sparked a wildfire that remained out of control as of about 3:30 p.m. local time.
Emergency response efforts were continuing Wednesday, and the Army said an investigation into the incident was underway. No further details were immediately released about the crew members, the flight, or the circumstances leading up to the crash.
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