SEATTLE — Four special operations soldiers aboard a U.S. Army MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that crashed near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state are “believed to be dead,” the U.S. Army Special Operations Command said Friday.
The helicopter was on a routine training mission west of the base when it crashed at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, Army officials said. The soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Airborne, officials said.
Army officials said recovery efforts are underway, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation. They said they would release the soldiers' names “when appropriate,” out of respect for the families.
“Our hearts are with the families, friends, and teammates of these Night Stalkers,” said Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, USASOC Commander. “They were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and the Army Special Operations, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
The regiment's mission is to organize, equip and employ Army special operations aviation forces around the world, according to the Army's website.
“Known as Night Stalkers, these soldiers are recognized for their proficiency in nighttime operations,” the website said. “They are highly trained and ready to accomplish the very toughest missions in all environments, anywhere in the world, day or night, with unparalleled precision.”
The crash sparked a small wildfire that had grown to 1.25 acres (0.5 hectares) by Friday morning, the Washington Department of Natural Resources said. The agency said there was “pretty minimal fire activity” so they had one engine on the scene.
The base is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Tacoma under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Joint Base Headquarters.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, based in Olympia, posted online late Wednesday that deputies were dispatched to reports of a possible helicopter crash in the Summit Lake area, west of Olympia.
“We have been advised that the military lost contact with a helicopter in the area,” the department said. It said it was working with the base and that no further details were available.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said on Facebook that deputies located the crash site “but have been unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire.”
The most recent aviation mishap at the joint base occurred in March 2024. Two soldiers were hospitalized when their Apache helicopter crashed at the base during a routine training exercise.
