Military

23 Soldiers Were Injured When Strong Winds Blew Them Into Trees During A Parachute Training Exercise

A number of soldiers were injured when a strong gust of wind blew them into trees during an airborne operation in Mississippi on Wednesday evening.

The 650 Army troops from a brigade based in Alaska were participating in the jump at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, according to a Facebook post from their brigade. It was the beginning of a 10-day military training exercise. Eighty-seven paratroopers got stuck in the trees, according to a Facebook post from the battalion.

Officials said 23 jumpers sustained injuries from the accident, but none were life-threatening. Staff Sgt. Scott Tynes of the Mississippi Army National Guard told BuzzFeed News seven of them were sent to the hospital, and the rest received treatment from first responders who were on standby at the scene, he added.

As of Thursday afternoon, four of the injured were still being cared for at the hospital, Camp Shelby Cmdr. Col. Bobby Ginn said during a press conference.