17 soldiers with the 11th Airborne Division were riding in a transport vehicle when it flipped near the Yukon Training Area
A U.S. Army transport vehicle flipped outside Salcha, Alaska, on Monday, leaving two soldiers dead and 12 others injured.
According to a news release from U.S. Army Alaska, 17 soldiers were riding in a light medium tactical vehicle used to transport troops when a "single military vehicle accident" happened on a dirt road heading into the Yukon Training Area.
Army spokesperson John Pennell told local outlet KTUU the soldiers, who are part of the 11th Airborne Division, were participating in training exercises.
"At some point, the driver lost control of the vehicle, and it flipped," Pennell said.
A U.S. Army transport vehicle flipped outside Salcha, Alaska, on Monday, leaving two soldiers dead and 12 others injured. (11th Airborne Division)
First responders provided initial medical treatment to the victims, who were then transported to the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Out of the 12 who sustained injuries, two of the most critically injured were flown to Providence Medical Center in Anchorage.
Alaska State Troopers, the North Pole Fire Department and Eielson Air Force Base all supported the first response efforts.
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Alaska State Troopers, the North Pole Fire Department and Eielson Air Force Base all supported the first response efforts. (Alaska State Troopers/Facebook)
"We're all grieving and kind of doing what we can to support the families," Pennell said. "Anytime we lose our soldiers, it’s a tragic event for the family, for the fellow soldiers, for the soldiers' friends. Essentially the entire 11th Airborne Division family is grieving the loss of these two soldiers and preparing to step forward for the families they've left behind."
The incident remains under investigation.
