BOISE, Idaho — Three Idaho Army National Guard pilots died Tuesday night in a helicopter crash near Boise, according to authorities.
The pilots, who were not immediately identified, were in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and participating in a routine training flight south of Lucky Peak around 8 p.m. Tuesday. Col. Christopher Burt, the Idaho Army National Guard’s state aviation officer, said officials contacted the helicopter at 7:45 p.m.
Just after 8 p.m., the helicopter’s emergency transmitter locator device was activated, officials said.
Officials began a search and rescue effort a short while later. Around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, search crews found the downed helicopter and the missing pilots, according to authorities.
“This is a tremendous loss to the Idaho National Guard and our community,” Maj. Gen. Michael Garshak, adjutant general of Idaho and commander of the Idaho National Guard, said Wednesday morning in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones as we work through this tragedy.”
The cause of the crash remained unclear Wednesday morning. Authorities continue to investigate.