Army helicopter crash in Thurston County leaves four soldiers presumed deceased

Helicopter Crash in Washington: Four Soldiers Presumed Dead

In a tragic turn of events, a MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Joint Base Lewis-McChord crashed in the Summit Lake area of Thurston County, Washington, on Wednesday night. The crash occurred in the Capitol Forest, west of Olympia.

The helicopter was on a routine training flight when it met with an unfortunate accident. Four U.S. Army service members aboard the helicopter are presumed dead. The exact cause of the crash is currently unknown, and the incident is being investigated as an 'aviation mishap' by U.S. Army officials.

The soldiers involved in the crash were assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. According to a U.S. Army official, the names of the soldiers will be released when appropriate. The four soldiers were identified as Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Cully, Chief Warrant Officer Three Andrew Kraus, Sgt. Donavon Scott, and Sgt. Jadalyn Good.

Recovery efforts were underway at the crash site on Thursday afternoon, with a group of law enforcement, firefighters, and specialty personnel from Joint Base Lewis-McChord working together. Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, U.S. Army special operations commander, expressed his condolences for the service members.

The soldiers were described as elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and the Army Special Operations. Officials did not provide the identities of the service members out of respect for the families.

It is important to note that the crash did not involve any other aircraft or ground units. The helicopter crash is related to the four Army service members mentioned in a previous report.

As the investigation continues, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the service members involved in this tragic incident. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.