Three members of the Minnesota National Guard died in a helicopter crash shortly after takeoff south of St. Cloud on Thursday, Dec. 5.
Their names will not be released until their families have been notified, authorities said. The cause of the crash is still being investigated.
In a statement, the state National Guard said the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter took off from St. Cloud about 2 p.m. for a maintenance test flight. Through social media, the Stearns County Sheriff's Office confirmed that it crashed southwest of the city near the town of Marty about 2:15 p.m.
At a press conference in Kimball, Gov. Tim Walz told reporters that military investigators were en route to assist with the investigation. Chief Deputy Dan Miller of the Stearns County Sheriff's Office said his agency would take part in the investigation as well.