Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras –
A U.S. Army UH-60 helicopter landed in San José de Colinas, a municipality in the department of Santa Barbara, Honduras, July 9, 2020, due to inclement weather conditions. The four-member crew was conducting medical evacuation training and area orientation for evacuation procedures, and is assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo’s 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment.
JTF-Bravo is one of three task forces under the U.S. Southern Command and operates out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, with the 1-228 Aviation Regiment providing airlift and evacuation capabilities, including search and rescue and medical evacuations. The battalion actively conducts readiness activities to maintain operations and is ready to respond at a moment’s notice to assist U.S. citizens in the region as well as partner nations.
At the time of landing, weather conditions were below the required minimums for returning to Soto Cano. To prioritize the safety of the crew, the pilot in command diverted to Villa Guadalupe to wait for weather conditions to clear in coordination with local authorities.
The helicopter crew landed at approximately 7:00 pm and departed after 09:00 pm, returning safely to Soto Cano Air Base at approximately 10:05 pm.