Military helicopter crashes in the U.S., two pilots killed
An AH-64 Apache military helicopter crashed in Texas, CNN reports.
The two pilots on board were killed. A fire broke out at the crash site.
The helicopter went down near the town of Salado, not far from the Fort Hood military base to which it was assigned. Ground services and structures were not damaged. Because of the fire, which spread over an area of about 40 hectares, authorities evacuated residents of nearby areas.
The causes of the helicopter's crash and the crew's flight route have not been specified, the network notes.
The acting commander of the base, Brigadier General Ethan Diven, stated that the priority now remains cordoning off the disaster area and supporting the response effort.
The AH-64 Apache is a four-blade helicopter with a crew of two. It is capable of carrying up to 16 Hellfire missiles, 76 unguided aerial rockets, and 1,200 rounds for its 30 mm automatic cannon. Helicopters of this type have been used by the United States since 1984.
