Georgia soldiers among those hurt in deadly Fort Jackson 'tragic accident'

Military officials say two soldiers are dead and six are hurt after a military vehicle struck them while they were in formation at an Army base in South Carolina.

Fort Jackson officials say two of the six soldiers injured Friday afternoon were in critical condition and all of them were taken to a hospital off the base, which is near Columbia.

According to Fort Jackson's Facebook page, two of the soldiers injured are from Georgia. Pvt. Hannah New, of Cartersville, and Pvt. James Foster, of Macon.

"We are continuing to support everyone affected by this tragic event," said Maj. Gen. Pete Johnson, commander of the U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson. "I am very appreciative for all the exceptional support from the Columbia medical community. We also appreciate the outpouring of support. Please keep the Family members, injured Soldiers and our fellow teammates affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers."

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The statement from Fort Jackson called the incident a "tragic accident," but did not give details about where the wreck happened or the type of vehicle involved.

The Army says it has started a thorough investigation.

Fort Jackson is the Army's largest training instillation, with more than 50,000 recruits assigned there each year.

Associated Press