'Three great Americans' killed in National Guard helicopter crash in Mendon, NY

MENDON, N.Y. (WHAM) — Three soldiers were killed in a U.S. Army National Guard helicopter crash in Mendon Wednesday night.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened around 6:30 p.m. in a field area near West Bloomfield and Cheese Factory roads in Mendon, approximately 20 miles south of Rochester.

"This is a burden - a heavy, heavy burden - upon all of us," said Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter. "These are our freedom providers - and just showing again, freedom is not free. We lost three great Americans today."

According to the New York Army National Guard, a UH-60 medical evacuation helicopter was on a routine training mission when it crashed. It is not yet clear what caused the crash.

Sheriff's deputies and area firefighters responded to the field in which the plane crashed.

"They went into life-saving mode trying to rescue anybody that could be on that aircraft or in that area - including grid search - with New York State Police helicopter to find anyone on that aircraft or in that area to see if there were any surviving victims," said Baxter.

The three soldiers on board were assigned to1st Battalion's C Company in the 171st General Support Aviation Battalion.

The helicopter was based at the Army Aviation Support Facility at the Greater Rochester International Airport.

"It's a very limited initial crash site, if you will, but there is a debris field over what I'd describe as a few city blocks right now - hundreds of feet in each direction," Baxter said.

Mendon Town Supervisor John Moffitt offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers who were killed.

"Thank you to the brave first responders who responded to the scene, including the Mendon Fire Department, Honeoye Falls Fire Department, and Honeoye Falls Volunteer Ambulance," Moffitt said. "Please keep them in your thoughts as they continue to work this difficult scene.”

The National Guard and Federal Aviation Administration will investigate.

Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered all flags across New York state to be flown at half staff in honor of the three soldiers.

West Bloomfield Road between Cheese Factory and Boughton Hill roads will remain closed to traffic through Thursday.