At a military base in Washington state, another accident occurred with the main attack helicopter of the US Army, the Apache AH-64E, manufactured by Boeing. The incident, which occurred during a routine training exercise of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, was the third in recent months. As a result of the helicopter crash, two pilots were injured.
Rescue services immediately arrived at the scene, but the swampy terrain with heavy brush made their mission much more difficult. According to one of the firefighters, these conditions created additional difficulties for the rescue operation.
This series of Apache helicopter crashes began on February 12, when one of the helicopters crashed near Salt Lake City, Utah, injuring two pilots. Soon after, another Apache crash-landed in a rural, wooded area of Mississippi, killing the soldiers.
In connection with these events, the US Army decided to temporarily suspend the use of Apache helicopters and launch an investigation into all accidents. It is not yet known when these investigations will be completed, but flight safety remains a priority for the military.
