Two helicopters participating in a training exercise crashed near a ski resort in Utah, the state’s National Guard said Tuesday. No crew members were seriously injured.
The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. near Mineral Basin and the Snowbird Ski Resort. As the two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters began to touch down in an approved landing zone, a blade from one of the helicopters appeared to detach and hit the other aircraft, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jared Jones said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference, according to CBS affiliate KUTV.
It is not clear what caused the crash, but the Utah National Guard said in a statement that all other training flights have been canceled “until further notice to review safety protocols and regulations.”
“We are grateful that no one was seriously injured thanks to the quick reaction and training of both command pilots,” Major Matthew Green, commander 2nd GSAB, said in the statement. “Right now, our top priority is taking care of both crews.”
An image from the scene shows the helicopters on the ground near groups of skiers.
The resort has closed Mineral Basin to skiing and shut down several of its chairlifts, KUTV reported.
