Photo: KSTP-TV

From WDIO-TV - December 7, 2019

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has confirmed all three soldiers aboard a National Guard helicopter that crashed Thursday afternoon near St. Cloud have died. The soldiers have not been identified. 

The Minnesota National Guard says it lost contact with its UH60 Black Hawk helicopter around 3 pm. Search teams found the crash site 16 miles southwest of St. Cloud. 

The National Guard says the helicopter was conducting a maintenance test flight. It had taken off from St. Cloud. 

National Guard Master Sgt. Blair Heusdens says the helicopter called mayday about nine minutes after takeoff.

The St. Paul Fire Department said at 3:25 p.m. that its Rescue Squad 3 team was deployed in support of a Minnesota’s Aviation Rescue Team (MART) activation.