5 Fort Hood Soldiers Dead, 4 Missing After Truck Overturns in Creek
Three other soldiers were rescued from Owl Creek and are in stable condition.
— -- Five Fort Hood soldiers have died and four more are missing after a truck overturned in a creek near the military post in Killeen, Texas, authorities said.
Initially, three of the soldiers' bodies were found in Owl Creek, downstream from the Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, according to the Fort Hood Public Affairs Office. Several hours later, Fort Hood announced that the remains of two additional soldiers had been recovered.
The accident did not happen on Fort Hood proper, but on a part of the base reachable by public roads.
The search is ongoing for the missing soldiers, from the 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team and 1st Cavalry Division, according to Fort Hood.
Three other soldiers rescued from the water near the vehicle are in stable condition. They were taken to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood.
Multiple local and state agencies are assisting Fort Hood with the rescue and recovery of the missing soldiers via aircraft, canines and swift-water rescue personnel. They responded to the emergency at 11:20 a.m., according to Fort Hood officials.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement saying the state is "ready to provide any assistance" to Fort Hood in the wake of the tragedy.
"The brave men and women stationed at Fort Hood and across our country put their lives on the line every day, and be it through rescue operations or on the battlefield, Texas will forever remain grateful for their sacrifices," Abbott said in the statement.
Fort Hood will not be releasing the names of the deceased soldiers until next of kin have been notified. Further details on the nature of the accident were not immediately available.