Flags To Be Flown at Half-Staff After Deadly Helicopter Crash

ST. PAUL -- Governor Tim Walz has ordered flags be flown at half-staff in honor of three Minnesota National Guard soldiers killed in a helicopter crash near Kimball on Thursday.

All United States and Minnesota flags at state and federal buildings will be lowered Friday at 2:05 p.m. They will remain at half-staff until Monday afternoon.

The Minnesota National Guard lost contact with the UH-60 Black Hawk Thursday at 2:05 p.m., shortly after it took off from St. Cloud on a maintenance test flight. It crashed about 16 miles southwest of St. Cloud after giving a mayday signal around 2:15 p.m.

The names of the crew members will be released Saturday afternoon at a news conference in St. Cloud.