The Mississippi National Guard (MSNG) and Governor Tate Reeves held a joint press conference on February 24, 2024, to address the helicopter crash that occurred on February 23 in Prentiss County, Mississippi. The press conference took place at the MSNG Joint Force Headquarters in Jackson.

The helicopter crash, which occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. on February 23 in a wooded area near Booneville, resulted in the tragic loss of two soldiers. The AH-64 Apache helicopter was on a routine training flight at the time of the incident, according to the MSNG State Army Aviation Office.

Governor Reeves announced the names of the fallen soldiers and praised them for their dedicated service to the state and nation.

“This is a sad time for the state of Mississippi as we mourn the loss of two of our own Mississippi National Guard heroes,” said Reeves. “Both service members served at the Mississippi National Guard Army Aviation Support Facility 2 in Tupelo.”

The fallen soldiers were identified as Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bryan Andrew Zemek, age 36, and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Derek Joshua Abbott, age 42. Zemek was an AH-64 Delta Apache Standardization Instructor Pilot in Alpha Company 1st Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment in Tupelo. Abbott was a Maintenance Test Pilot in Delta Company of the 2nd Battalion, 151st Lakota Medical Evacuation Unit in the Mississippi National Guard.

Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, the adjutant general of Mississippi, expressed sympathy to the surviving family members of the fallen soldiers.

“Today is a devastating day for the Mississippi National Guard as we mourn the loss of two of our brave brothers in arms,” said Boyles. “Our hearts are truly broken at the loss of these two members of our family.”

Boyles also thanked the first responders and local authorities who responded to the accident.

Governor Reeves concluded the press conference by honoring the fallen soldiers.

“I want to once again pay tribute to the lives of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Zemek and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Abbott,” said Reeves. “Their service to our state and nation will not be forgotten, and we remain thankful for their comrades in arms who continue to serve, as they did, with honor and distinction.”

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bryan Andrew Zemek, a native of Oxford, Mississippi, is survived by his wife and four children. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Derek Joshua Abbott, a combat veteran and native of Fulton, Mississippi, is survived by his wife and three children.