Updated with comments from local leaders.
Update, 10:05 a.m.: Cadiz resident Nick Tomaszewski, who lives about a mile from where the crash occurred, told the Associated Press he saw two helicopters flying over his house moments before the crash.
“For whatever reason last night my wife and I were sitting there looking out on the back deck and I said, “Wow, those two helicopters look low and they look kind of close to one another tonight,’” he said.
The helicopters flew over and looped back around and moments later “we saw what looked like a firework went off in the sky.”
“All of the lights in their helicopter went out. It was like they just poofed … and then we saw a huge glow like a fireball,” Tomaszewski told AP.
Flyovers for training exercises happen almost daily and the helicopters typically fly low but not so close together, he said.
“There were two back to back. We typically see one and then see another one a few minutes later, and we just saw two of them flying together last night,” he said.
Mayor: ‘Hearts of our city are broken’
“The hearts of our city are broken today at the tragic news of nine soldiers lost in the helicopter crash at Fort Campbell,” Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts said.
“Cynthia and I are praying for the families and leadership impacted by this news. The city has communicated with the leadership at Fort Campbell that we are ready to help in any way that is needed. We are also grateful for the service and sacrifice of the soldiers and their families who nobly serve and protect our freedom.”
Congressman Mark Green said he and his wife Camie are “heartbroken” over the loss.
“Fort Campbell is one of the closest-knit communities we’ve ever been a part of, and we know this loss is being felt heavily. Our prayers are with the families of those we lost. The loved ones left behind need all of our support. These moments serve as a stark reminder that freedom is never without sacrifice. America is grateful for their willingness to serve, and our hearts are broken that it came with such a high cost.”
Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden said tragedies involving Fort Campbell soldiers affect everyone in the community.
“The service members and their families are our friends and neighbors. Our children attend school together, we live next door to each other, and we worship in the same churches,” Golden said.
“Montgomery County is here for the families and for those who served with the nine service members. … We love them and are praying for them. Whatever we as a community can do to help, we will. If there is one thing this week has taught us, we need to take time to tell and show our family and friends how much we love them.”
State Rep. Ronnie Glynn said he was saddened by the news. “The 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell is close to my heart. It was my final duty station in the Army before retiring in Clarksville. I know all of Montgomery County and Tennessee feels the pain of this loss and will join me in praying for their families. ”
Update, 9:20 a.m.: At a news conference this morning at Fort Campbell, officials provided some additional details on the helicopter crash that killed nine 101st Airborne Division soldiers.
101st Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. John Lubas said the two Black Hawk medical evacuation aircraft were conducting a routine training at about 10 p.m. Wednesday when they crashed while flying over Cadiz, Kentucky.
The were flying a multi-ship formation using night-vision goggles, Lubas said, with five personnel in one helicopter and four in the other. All nine were killed in the crash, and there were no transports from the scene.
The crash was in an open field across from a residential area, and there were no casualties or injuries on the ground, Lubas said.
Other aircraft were in the vicinity, so they were able to notify Fort Campbell immediately of the crash.
An aircraft safety team is on its way from Fort Rucker to analyze flight data from the helicopters and the crash scene to determine the cause of the crash.
Next of kin notifications began early this morning and are still being made, with some families across the U.S. and some outside the U.S. No soldier names will be released until that process is complete, Lubas said.
Governor: ‘We’re going to wrap our arms around these families’
“Today is a tough and a tragic day for Kentucky, for Fort Campbell and for the 101st,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at the press conference at Fort Campbell.
He said Kentucky knows a lot about loss, especially in recent years, and “we will do what we always do.”
“We’re going to wrap our arms around these families and we’re going to be there with them, not just for the days but for the weeks and the months and the years to come. We’re going to let them know that they are loved, they are special, and if they’ll allow us to carry some of their grief, we’ll do that for as long as we can.”
He said he spoke with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who also expressed his grief over the loss. “There are no state lines when it comes to taking care of these families,” Beshear said.
Both Beshear and Lubas thanked the many first responders who came from entire region to assist, including teams from Kentucky State Police, Trigg County, Christian County and Marshall County.
Update, 8:30 a.m.: All nine soldiers aboard the two helicopters were killed, Fort Campbell officials have confirmed to Clarksville Now.
Previously:
FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Two 101st Airborne Division helicopters crashed Wednesday night during a training mission, with multiple crew members inside and several casualties.
At about 10 p.m., the HH60 Black Hawk helicopters were involved in a routine training mission when they crashed in Trigg County, Kentucky, according to Fort Campbell.
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The status of the crew members has not yet been released, and the incident is under investigation. “The command is currently focused on caring for the servicemembers and their families,” the news release said.
More information will be released at a news conference this morning.
This article will be updated.
Lee Erwin and the Associated Press contributed to this report.