Two people are dead after a U.S. military helicopter crashed in a field in Central Texas on Wednesday afternoon, a sheriff’s official said. The Apache helicopter from Fort Hood military installation crashed around 1:35 p.m. local time, and the two pilots on board were confirmed dead, according to Cliff Coleman, a spokesman for the Bell County Sheriff’s Office. Crews responded to a large, uncontrolled wildfire sparked by the crash, and evacuations were in place, Coleman said. The helicopter did not hit any structures or people, Coleman said. “It crashed into a field, and you could tell it was a violent crash,” he added. The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter was based at Fort Hood, the installation said in a statement. Local emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement were on scene. “Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general, said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.” It was unclear where the helicopter was coming from or where it was headed. This is a developing story and will be updated.
