Two U.S. Soldiers Killed in Texas Helicopter Crash
Two U.S. army soldiers are dead after an Apache military helicopter crashed in Texas on Wednesday, August 12.
The AH-64 Apache, attached to Fort Hood, went down in a field in Bell County, about 60 miles north of the state capital, Austin. According to Bell County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, Cliff Coleman, the two soldiers were pronounced dead after officials responded to 911 emergency calls around 1:30 p.m.
Fort Hood confirmed that the soldiers’ identities are being withheld for 24 hours while their families are notified of the incident.
Coleman described the incident as a “violent crash.” He told reporters at the scene that the crash caused a large fire that burned the surrounding land and prompted some evacuations from nearby residents. Coleman said the fire looked to be “out of control.”
Firefighters from several local departments responded to the crash and worked to extinguish the remaining fire. As of 7 p.m Wednesday, the fire had spread to 155 acres and was 85 per cent contained, according to Coleman. Military personnel, emergency responders and law enforcement also responded to the incident.
The AH-64 Apache is an attack helicopter used by the U.S. Army for military operations. The aircraft is designed to operate in demanding combat environments. It is unclear whether the helicopter was conducting military operations at the time of the crash.
The Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Hood is leading an investigation to determine what caused the crash.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed condolences to the soldiers’ families and fellow service members following the incident in a statement on X.
“Texas is forever indebted to those who serve our state and nation,” Abbott said.
