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A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle is being recovered after a crash April 17, 2023, on highway A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven military vehicles were traveling between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West in Bavaria, when the collision occurred. One injured solider was transported by helicopter and six by ambulance to local hospitals.

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle is being recovered after a crash April 17, 2023, on highway A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven military vehicles were traveling between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West in Bavaria, when the collision occurred. One injured solider was transported by helicopter and six by ambulance to local hospitals. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)

This story was updated April 19, 2023, 3:46 p.m. Central European Time.

AMBERG, Germany — One U.S. soldier was airlifted to a hospital and six others were injured Monday following a crash involving two tactical vehicles near Amberg, Army officials said.

The collision occurred shortly before 11 a.m. on the eastbound A6 highway between the Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West junctions in Bavaria.

“As of now, there are no life-threatening injuries to any of the individuals,” said Army Brig. Gen. Maurice Barnett, the head of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

Six soldiers were taken by ambulance to hospitals, said Kate Necaise, a spokeswoman for U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach. Four others were taken to the Grafenwoehr Army Health Clinic for evaluation.

Several of the injured soldiers were later released from the hospital while others remained under observation, Necaise said Wednesday.

A convoy of seven armored vehicles was going from Shipton Kaserne, near Ansbach, to Grafenwoehr Training Area when a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle collided with a Stryker, Army officials in Ansbach said. The MRAP was missing a wheel following the crash, and the Stryker also showed significant damage.

Soldiers check their vehicles following the crash of two others April 17, 2023, on highway A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven vehicles were traveling in a convoy between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West in Bavaria. Seven soldiers were injured during the crash.

Soldiers check their vehicles following the crash of two others April 17, 2023, on highway A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven vehicles were traveling in a convoy between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West in Bavaria. Seven soldiers were injured during the crash. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle and a Stryker are severely damaged after colliding on the A6 near Amberg, Germany, on April 17, 2023. Seven soldiers were injured during the crash.

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle and a Stryker are severely damaged after colliding on the A6 near Amberg, Germany, on April 17, 2023. Seven soldiers were injured during the crash. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle is being recovered after a crash April 17, 2023, on the A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven military vehicles were traveling between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West when the collision occurred. Seven soldiers were injured.

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle is being recovered after a crash April 17, 2023, on the A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven military vehicles were traveling between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West when the collision occurred. Seven soldiers were injured. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)

Service members wait while a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle is recovered after a crash April 17, 2023, on highway A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven military vehicles were traveling between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West when the collision occurred.

Service members wait while a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle is recovered after a crash April 17, 2023, on highway A6 near Amberg, Germany. Seven military vehicles were traveling between Sulzbach-Rosenberg and Amberg-West when the collision occurred. (Michael Slavin/Stars and Stripes)

A civilian semitruck also was involved in the accident, an Army statement said.

German police cited "traffic-related braking" as the probable reason for the rear-end collision. The crash remains under investigation.

Both military vehicles involved in the crash belong to the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, a subordinate unit of U.S. Army Europe and Africa's 10th AAMDC, which is headquartered in Sembach.

There were no munitions on board the vehicles involved in the crash, Necaise said. Uninjured troops in the convoy secured the duty weapons at the scene, she added.

The collision closed parts of the busy national autobahn for several hours Monday afternoon.

In February, an American soldier was injured on a different stretch of the A6 when two U.S. military trucks carrying weapons collided.

Stars and Stripes reporter Michael Slavin contributed to this report.

author picture
Alexander reports on the U.S. military and local news in Europe for Stars and Stripes in Kaiserslautern, Germany. He has 10 years experience as an Air Force photojournalist covering operations in Timor-Leste, Guam and the Middle East. He graduated from Penn State University and is a Defense Information School alumnus.

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