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Report: Nearly two dozen paratroopers injured in Mississippi Airborne exercise Nearly two dozen paratroopers injured in Mississippi Airborne exercise. Their training is expected to continue after all 89 are accounted for.
Nearly two dozen paratroopers were injured while conducting a training exercise in Mississippi on Wednesday night, according to a report.
The troops were jumping from a C-130 aircraft when the wind blew them away from their intended drop zone, Laurel, Miss.'s WDAM-TV reported.
Several of the 89 paratroopers landed in a group of pine trees. Some of the injured soldiers were taken to a hospital and others had to be rescued after their parachutes become tangled in the trees.
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U.S. paratroopers conduct an airborne operation from a C-130 Hercules aircraft on Juliet Drop Zone near Pordenone, Italy, Sept. 24, 2014. (Dept. of Defense )
"At this time we’re tracking 22 injuries with 15 treated by medics in the field and seven transported to local hospitals,“ John Pennell, chief of media relations for U.S. Army Alaska, said, WDAM reported.
Staff Sgt. John Healy, with the 177th Armored Brigade at Camp Shelby, said none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The Mississippi National Guard released a statement just after midnight Thursday that read in part, “Airborne Operations all bear an inherent risk … We are grateful for overwhelming support that we have received from units here on Camp Shelby as well as local first responders. The entire community has come together to ensure that we are able to provide expert treatment to any Soldiers who were injured during the Airborne Operation.”
“Once all Soldiers have been accounted for, our goal is ultimately to continue training. Despite the challenges that we currently face, Soldiers always place the mission first.”
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The operation was part of a 10-day training exercise.