The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says a New York National Guard UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter with three soldiers crashed in an open field near West Bloomfield Road in Mendon, New York.
MCSO confirmed that a military helicopter with what is believed to be 3 souls on board crashed in a field on W. Bloomfield Road. In Mendon at 6:32 pm. W. Bloomfield rd. Btwn Cheese Factory and Boughton Hill Rd. Remains closed. Grateful for our first response partners:
– Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (@monroesheriffny) January 21, 2021
Monroe County officials say they received calls to an aircraft in distress at about 6:30 pm
Rescuers found a New York National Guard Blackhawk shot down. They say the aircraft was totally on fire when the crews arrived on the scene.
Officials say the three soldiers, believed to be members of the New York National Guard, were killed.
The New York National Guard is on its way to investigate. The FAA will also investigate the incident.
According to 911 reports, officials say the aircraft was flying very low and there were reports that the engine was bursting.
Officials say there are debris the size of a few city blocks
The New York National Guard says the helicopter was based at the Army Aviation Support Center at Rochester International Airport and crashed during a routine training mission.
They are working to identify the soldiers who were on board.
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The aircraft was assigned to Company C of the first Battalion.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he was devastated by the accident and would place flags on all buildings in the state to be reduced to a half on Thursday.
Tonight we are devastated by the fall of a New York Army National Guard helicopter in the city of Mendon, which killed three of New York’s bravest during a training mission.
I am ordering the flags of all buildings in the state to be reduced to a personal means tomorrow.
Full statement: pic.twitter.com/ztSnTwD4V1
– Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 21, 2021
West Bloomfield Road between Cheese Factory Road and Boughton Hill Road was closed during the investigation.
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