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Army chopper blows over tent at Calif. base; 22 injured

By Sommer Brokaw
A wind gust from a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, pictured, caused a tent to collapse and injured 22 soldiers Wednesday at a central California base. File Photo by Jacob N. Bailey/U.S. Air Force/UPI
A wind gust from a U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, pictured, caused a tent to collapse and injured 22 soldiers Wednesday at a central California base. File Photo by Jacob N. Bailey/U.S. Air Force/UPI | License Photo

July 19 (UPI) -- More than 20 U.S. soldiers were recovering Thursday from an accident at a California base that happened when a helicopter knocked over a tent during a training exercise.

The mishap occurred Wednesday night at the U.S. Army Fort Hunter Liggett base in Monterey County, about 140 miles south of San Francisco.

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Military officials said strong gusts from the chopper blades knocked the tent over.

"A U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter landing's rotor wash blew over a tent structure and injured a number of soldiers," the base said in a Facebook post.

"There are 22 injuries. The majority of injuries are minor and are being treated on site."

Two soldiers were flown to a hospital in Fresno and two were taken to one in Templeton.

The injured soldiers were among 8,000 attending summer training at the base.

All of the injured soldiers have been treated and returned to their units, officials said.

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