CAMBRIDGE, Vt. (AP) — Six United States Army soldiers taking part in a mountain warfare training exercise at Vermont’s tallest peak were hit by an avalanche and injured, requiring emergency evacuation Wednesday afternoon.
Rescue crews worked to rescue the six soldiers who were training at Smugglers Notch, a narrow pass at the northern edge of Mount Mansfield. The base of the notch is surrounded by steep cliffs on both sides.
Five of the soldiers were taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. Their conditions were unknown Wednesday afternoon. The sixth soldier returned to duty.
There is no word on what triggered the avalanche that hit about 1 p.m. The soldiers were later brought down the mountain to waiting ambulances. A photo posted by WCAX-TV shows one soldier on a stretcher.