LOS ANGELES, Aug 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two soldiers were killed and three injured when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed on San Clemente Island late Thursday, according to a Defense Department official.
The Army’s Special Operation’s Command said in a statement the incident occurred in the vicinity of Coronado.
A Defense Department official with knowledge of the incident said that the crash occurred on San Clemente Island, which is about 70 miles west of San Diego and controlled by the U.S. Navy. The island has an airfield, a bombing range and a training facility used by special operations units. The island falls under the command of Naval Base Coronado.
The accident involved members of the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the official said.
The soldiers were conducting “routine training,” the Army said in a statement.
The Thursday crash was the second fatal accident involving military personnel there during the last month.
In late July, eight Marines and one sailor were killed when their Assault Amphibious Vehicle sank about 1,500 meters off the coast of the island. The troops were returning to their ship after training on the island. An investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Black Hawk helicopters — UH-60s — entered service in the late 1970s but have been updated over the years. Variants of the helicopter are also flown by the Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force. — NNN-AGENCIES
