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American Morning
Downed Black Hawk Was on Routine Training Mission
Aired March 12, 2003 - 09:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get to upstate New York right now, that deadly crash yesterday, Black Hawk helicopter. An investigation now underway to find out what caused the chopper from Fort Drum to go down during a training mission. Jason Carroll on the scene there joins us live yet again from the scene -- Jason, good morning.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning again to you, Bill. Eleven soldiers were killed on board that Black Hawk helicopter. Weather certainly not helping investigators, who are out at the crash scene right now, trying to determine what went wrong. They're in the process of trying to recover as much of the wreckage as possible. They will also go over the flight plans, try and determine again exactly why the helicopter went down.
Early this morning, a flag-raising ceremony here at Fort Drum. An emotional moment, some of the soldiers actually crying during the ceremony as that was taking place. A military spokesman early this morning also giving more details about exactly what type of training mission was being conducted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. BRYAN HILFERTY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER: They were doing sling loading operations, I understand it. The Black Hawk can carry equipment underneath it. So they would take -- you would sling, with a big cargo net, a Howitzer, or a Humvee, or loads of meals and other equipment, water, and the helicopter hovers overhead, and you hook it up to the bottom. They were doing some -- I understand sling-loading operations, and then they were just coming back to base.
So just routine training -- I mean, infantry -- light infantrymen do that all the time. That -- the UH-60 is a work horse of our transportation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Apparently, there was no early indication that something was wrong before the crash. As for the two survivors, one is in critical condition, the other is in serious condition. The Army has not released the names of any of the victims. They're still in the process of trying to notify next of kin -- Bill.
HEMMER: Jason, thanks. Jason Carroll, upstate New York. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 12, 2003 - 09:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get to upstate New York right now, that deadly crash yesterday, Black Hawk helicopter. An investigation now underway to find out what caused the chopper from Fort Drum to go down during a training mission. Jason Carroll on the scene there joins us live yet again from the scene -- Jason, good morning.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning again to you, Bill. Eleven soldiers were killed on board that Black Hawk helicopter. Weather certainly not helping investigators, who are out at the crash scene right now, trying to determine what went wrong. They're in the process of trying to recover as much of the wreckage as possible. They will also go over the flight plans, try and determine again exactly why the helicopter went down.
Early this morning, a flag-raising ceremony here at Fort Drum. An emotional moment, some of the soldiers actually crying during the ceremony as that was taking place. A military spokesman early this morning also giving more details about exactly what type of training mission was being conducted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. BRYAN HILFERTY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER: They were doing sling loading operations, I understand it. The Black Hawk can carry equipment underneath it. So they would take -- you would sling, with a big cargo net, a Howitzer, or a Humvee, or loads of meals and other equipment, water, and the helicopter hovers overhead, and you hook it up to the bottom. They were doing some -- I understand sling-loading operations, and then they were just coming back to base.
So just routine training -- I mean, infantry -- light infantrymen do that all the time. That -- the UH-60 is a work horse of our transportation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Apparently, there was no early indication that something was wrong before the crash. As for the two survivors, one is in critical condition, the other is in serious condition. The Army has not released the names of any of the victims. They're still in the process of trying to notify next of kin -- Bill.
HEMMER: Jason, thanks. Jason Carroll, upstate New York. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
