Mississippi Nationwide Guardsmen killed in helicopter crash recognized

The 2 Mississippi Nationwide Guardsmen who died after the helicopter they had been in crashed Friday afternoon have been recognized. 

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves recognized the boys as Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bryan Andrew Zemek, 36, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Derek Joshua Abbott, 42, in a assertion on social media. 

Zemek served within the Alpha Firm 1st Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, as an AH-64 Delta Apache standardization teacher pilot, whereas Abbott was in Delta Firm of the 2nd Battalion, 151st Lakota Medical Evacuation unit, serving as a upkeep check pilot. 

The lads had been conducting a routine coaching flight in an AH-64 Apache helicopter when the plane crashed n a wooded space close to Booneville, Mississippi, round 2 p.m. native time on Friday, Reeves stated.

“I wish to prolong my deepest condolences to the households and mates of our fallen troopers. We are going to all the time bear in mind these devoted Troopers for his or her honorable service, and we grieve with the households throughout this tragic time,” Reeves stated on social media. “With a heavy coronary heart, allow us to all the time bear in mind it’s via that bravery and braveness of the women and men in our armed forces that we’re in a position to retain the freedoms we maintain expensive. In the present day and each day, allow us to categorical our thanks and gratitude to those that have and proceed to placed on the uniform in protection of our state and nation.” 

Security crews had been working with native authorities on the scene of the crash. The crash can be investigated, the Mississippi Nationwide Guard stated in a information launch. 

Booneville is situated within the northeast nook of the state close to the Alabama and Tennessee borders.