4 Army Soldiers Presumed Dead After Helicopter Crash in Washington State

Cause of the crash is under investigation; soldiers’ identities have not been released.

In this photo provided by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement personnel respond to a Wednesday evening helicopter crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state on Sept. 17, 2025. Thurston County Sheriff's Office via AP

Four U.S. Army special operations soldiers are presumed dead after their MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a routine training mission in Washington state, the Army said on Sept. 19.

The helicopter crashed near JBLM around 9 p.m. local time on Sept. 17, according to the Army. The four elite soldiers were part of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), known as the “Night Stalkers,” based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

“Our hearts are with the families, friends, and teammates of these Night Stalkers,” Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said in a statement.

“They were elite warriors who embodied the highest values of the Army and the Army Special Operations, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and the identities of the four soldiers have not yet been released.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll stated on X that his heart was heavy over news of the fatal crash and said officials are awaiting updates as recovery efforts continue.

“While we await further updates, my prayers are with those involved, their families, and the entire Night Stalkers, Special Operations, and JBLM community,” Driscoll stated.

“I am grateful for the tireless efforts of local law enforcement, first responders, and specialty personnel from JBLM in the recovery,” he added.

It is unclear whether the soldiers’ bodies have been recovered.

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.

The crash sparked a small wildfire that had grown to 1.25 acres (0.5 hectares) by Sept. 19 morning, the Washington Department of Natural Resources said. The agency said there was “pretty minimal fire activity” so they had one engine on the scene.  

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said on Sept. 18 that first responders located the crash site in the Summit Lake area, but were unable to continue rescue efforts because “the scene is on fire and is starting to overheat their footwear.”

“This is an active rescue operation with King County’s Guardian 1 helicopter on scene; special operation rescue units are responding,” the sheriff said in a statement.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, based in Olympia, said in a Sept. 18 statement that its deputies have located “what is believed to be the scene,” and that an investigation is underway.

“We have been advised that the military lost contact with a helicopter in the area, and we are working closely with JBLM to deploy any resources needed to assist,” it stated, using the acronym of Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.