BREAKING NEWS: Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the Army National Guard crashes in Minnesota

BREAKING NEWS: Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the Army National Guard crashes in Minnesota

  • The aircraft took off from an Army aviation facility in St. Cloud on Thursday 
  • UH-60 Black Hawk lost communication with the tower, National Guard has said
  • Reports suggest the pilot called mayday nine minutes after takeoff

An Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter has crashed in Minnesota. 

A UH-60 Black Hawk carrying three crew members crashed near Kimball Thursday afternoon. 

National Guard Major Sergeant Blair Heusdens said the helicopter went missing after a mayday call nine minutes after taking off at 1:55 p.m Thursday from the St. Cloud airport. 

The National Guard lost contact with the aircraft officially at 2:05 p.m. 

The helicopter was found by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper just after 4pm. near Pearl Lake, just south of Marty, according to emergency scanner traffic, SC Times reports. 

The Minnesota Natioanal Guard reports that it has lost contact with a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter (pictured)

The aircraft had disappeared from radar and all communications were lost with the control tower. 

‘Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our Guardsmen and our thoughts are with our soldiers and their families at this time’, 

Reports suggest the pilot called mayday nine minutes after takeoff. 

The Federal Aviation Administration tells KBJR that it is aware of a missing UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that took off from the St. Cloud Airport. 

National Guard officials report that three service members were on board the UH-60 when it went missing about 3pm

National Guard officials report that three service members were on board the UH-60 when it went missing about 3pm

Its last known location was 10 miles southwest of the airport. 

A search operation is underway. Members of the St. Paul Fire Department have been deployed to help in the search. 

Local emergency services are currently trying to determine the location and status of the aircraft. 

‘Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our Guardsmen and our thoughts are with our soldiers and their families at this time’, Minnesota National Guard Master Sergeant Blair Heusdens tells DailyMail.com.

More to follow

An Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter has crashed in Minnesota. Rescuers from the St. Paul fire department (pictured) have been deployed to help in the search for the aircraft

An Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter has crashed in Minnesota. Rescuers from the St. Paul fire department (pictured) have been deployed to help in the search for the aircraft

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk