2 dead as Tennessee National Guard Black Hawk helicopter crashes on Madison County highway

Authorities responded to a Tennessee National Guard helicopter crash Wednesday afternoon in Madison County that killed both passengers on board, officials said.

The helicopter, a Black Hawk, belonged to the Tennessee National Guard and was on a routine training flight, the agency said in a statement.

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Madison County helicopter crash

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy,” said Tennessee Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Warner Ross in a statement.

“We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief,” the statement continued.

See also: Tragic helicopter crash on Alabama highway caught on videos

Authorities were dispatched to Burwell Road and Highway 53 in Harvest at 3:01 Wednesday on a report of a crashed helicopter, said Don Webster with Huntsville Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

The helicopter was burnt.

Webster said there were no survivors.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said the aircraft was a UH-60 helicopter, more commonly known as a Black Hawk.

Madison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill said human remains were recovered from the scene shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday. He said the full autopsy will be conducted by the medical examiner for the armed forces.

“My prayers are with the families of our American heroes tonight,” Berryhill said.

“Redstone Arsenal leaders are aware of reports of a helicopter incident near Highway 53 in Huntsville,” the arsenal posted on Facebook.

“First responders are on scene, and Redstone Arsenal is in full support of local authorities in their active investigation. Initial investigations have determined that the incident is not connected to Redstone Arsenal assets, and we will continue to support community authorities as the situation develops.”

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is also on the scene:

Madison County Commissioner Phil Vandiver said Highway 53 from Jeff Road to Kelly Springs will be closed for “days,” though the exact timeframe for the shutdown is unclear.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. The Associated Press contributed to this report.