By Jerald Jimenez
03 Oct 2023, 1:59 PM EDT
A tragic accident occurred in Alaska after a military vehicle carrying 17 soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division overturned on a dirt road last Saturday afternoon, causing the death of two soldiers. and the wounding of 12 others.
The vehicle was a light medium tactical transport that was en route to the Yukon Training Area when the driver lost control. The cause of the accident is under investigation, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson said in a news release.
Rescuers arrived on scene and rescued personnel, where they provided medical treatment until they could be evacuated to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska News reported.
Some of the victims were transported by air and others by land. Two soldiers were seriously injured and taken to Providence Medical Center in Anchorage, the statement added.
So far, the two deceased soldiers have not been identified, as the army must first notify their closest relatives of the death.
Meanwhile, the division’s head of media relations, John Pennell, expressed his regret over the tragic event and offered his solidarity with the affected families.
“It is a tragic event for families, for fellow soldiers, for friends of soldiers,” Pennell said. “Basically, the entire 11th Airborne Division family is mourning the loss of these two Soldiers and preparing to step up and do everything they can for the families they left behind.”
With information from CBS News