4 Soldiers ‘Believed Dead’ in Black Hawk Crash

The four soldiers aboard an Army helicopter that went down in a forest in southwest Washington state Wednesday evening are “believed to be dead,” according to Jacqueline Hill, media relations officer for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

“Recovery efforts are underway,” Hill said.

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The four service members were on board the MH-60 Black Hawk that went down in rugged forested terrain west of Olympia. The helicopter was part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) and operating out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), which serves both the Army and Air Force.

The military and local law enforcement are still searching the area. The names of service members on board have not been released.

According to Hill, the steep, heavily forested terrain made finding the wreckage difficult. Specialized crews from JBLM were brought in to assist.

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“We are thankful for the efforts of these skilled professionals who are working tirelessly around the clock to bring our soldiers home,” said Hill, adding that the investigation into the accident is still ongoing.

On Wednesday night the military notified the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office that contact had been lost with an aircraft over Capitol Forest near Summit Lake around 9 p.m. PDT.

Sheriff’s personnel reached the crash site that night but were driven back by fire. Smoke was still visible in the area on Thursday as first responders, law enforcement, and the military engaged in recovery efforts.

Pilots flying in southwest Washington are being asked to avoid a TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) near Olympia put in place until September 23 to facilitate the recovery mission.

This is an ongoing story that will be updated as more information is made available.