Three soldiers with the New York Army National Guard were killed on Wednesday when their medical evacuation UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Mendon, New York, officials have announced.
The helicopter was assigned to C Company of the 1st Battalion, 171st General Support Aviation Battalion, based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Rochester International Airport, according to the New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs.
No information was immediately available about the circumstances of the crash. The names of the three soldiers killed have not yet been publicly released.
Investigators are looking into what caused the helicopter to go down during its training mission.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was “devastated” by the news of the crash and he had ordered flags on state buildings to be lowered to half-staff on Thursday.
“National Guard members are our citizen soldiers who voluntarily serve and protect both here and abroad, and I extend prayers and condolences from all New Yorkers to the family, loved ones, and fellow soldiers of those honorable heroes who we will never forget,” Cuomo said in a statement.