Two people die after military helicopter crashes in Texas and ignites fire
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Two people aboard a military helicopter died Wednesday when the aircraft crashed in Salado, Texas, according to the Bell County Sheriff's Office. Their deaths were confirmed after authorities responded to the scene following 911 calls around 1:30 p.m., said Cliff Coleman from the Bell County Sheriff's Office. Salado is located about 50 miles north of Austin. The U.S. Army's AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is based at Fort Hood, according to the military installation. 'Our immediate priority is to secure the site and support initial response efforts,' stated Brigadier General Ethan Diven, interim commanding general. 'Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await more information.' The victims have not yet been publicly identified. No structural damage or other injuries were reported, Coleman noted. 'It crashed in a field, and it was evident that it was a violent impact,' Coleman told reporters at the scene. The accident caused a large fire that 'seems to be out of control,' he said. The fire has burned a vast area of land and prompted some evacuations in the vicinity. Local emergency teams, military personnel, and law enforcement responded to the incident. The Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Division is in charge of the investigation. The AH-64 Apache helicopter is a multi-mission, twin-engine, four-blade attack aircraft designed as a highly stable weapons launch platform, as described by the Army on its website, calling it 'the most advanced combat aircraft in the world.' This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool. An editor from Telemundo Digital reviewed the translation. This article was originally published in English by Joe Kottke for our sister network NBC News.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
