Human Interest 9 People Are Dead After 2 U.S. Army Blackhawk Helicopters Crash in Kentucky "Please pray for all those affected," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a tweet early Thursday morning By Kirsty Hatcher Kirsty Hatcher Instagram Twitter Kirsty Hatcher is a Staff Writer at PEOPLE. She has over 8 years' experience reporting and writing on news genres, including Royals, Entertainment and Lifestyle. Prior to joining PEOPLE, Kirsty worked as a Senior Celebrity and Entertainment Writer and Editor at OK! Magazine and Reach PLC. She is based in the UK. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 30, 2023 06:49 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Nine people are dead after two U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters crashed during a routine training mission in Kentucky on Wednesday evening, military officials said. "We can confirm two aircraft from the 101st were involved in an accident last night resulting in serveral casualties," the 101st Airborne Division said in a tweet early Thursday morning. "Right now our focus is on the Soldiers and their families who were involved." A release from nearby Fort Campbell's Public Affairs Office said the incident happened at around 10 p.m. during training in Trigg County. "The status of the crew members are unknown at this time," the statement read. "The command is currently focused on caring for the service members and their families." Military officials later confirmed there were nine fatalities, The New York Times and the Associated Press reported. WKYC Channel 3/Youtube Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky, said fatalities are expected from the crash. "We've got some tough news out of Fort Campbell, with early reports of a helicopter crash and fatalities are expected. @kystatepolice, @KentuckyEM and local officials are responding," he wrote on Twitter. "We will share more information as available. Please pray for all those affected." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Blackhawk Helicopter. TOMS KALNINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Bodies of 4 Who Died in Gulf of Mexico Helicopter Crash Are Recovered According to WKDZ-FM, Trigg County Coroner John Mark Vinson was called to the scene following the accident. The outlet also reported a witness, who lives about a half mile from the crash site, saying they heard "a pop" and "two booms." A spokesperson for the Kentucky State Police said they were assisting Fort Campbell authorities following an "aircraft incident" in a rural area, according to CNN. NBC News also reported state police as stating the accident happened in a partly wooded area and that the authorities had created a safety perimeter around the scene. 4 Dead After Helicopters Collide and Crash Land on Sandbank Off Australia's Gold Coast Kentucky State Police Post 1 spokesperson Trooper Sarah Burgess said they were contacted around 10:15 p.m. local time, according to CNN. Burgess added that "numerous agencies" were assisting with the incident. The number of crew members involved in the crash has not been released.