USA01 October, 20262 min read
Medical Helicopter Crash Off Catalina Island Kills Two, Injures Two, Leaves One Missing
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Five people aboard medevac helicopter crashed into waters off Catalina Island; two dead. Two were hospitalized, one missing after crash; search and rescue ongoing.
Crash Off Catalina
A medical helicopter carrying five people crashed into the water off the coast of Catalina Island in California, killing two on board, injuring two others, and leaving a fifth person missing, officials said.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy said the helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from Catalina Island Wednesday evening and that she believes it was transporting a person off the island for additional medical care.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said, "I am praying for everyone who was on board," as authorities treated the search as an active search-and-rescue mission rather than a recovery operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, officials said, after authorities received reports of the crash shortly before 8 p.m. and responded along with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Search and Company Response
Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed there was a Marine Search and Rescue operation that began shortly after receiving a report of three people in the ocean around 7:53 p.m. off of Avalon. The Coast Guard's Los Angeles Station later said at least 5 people had initially gone into the water following a helicopter crash and helped with the rescue, while search and rescue operations continued through the night.
A spokesperson for REACH Air Medical Services said, "We are unable to provide additional details at this stage and will share more information when it becomes available," as the cause of the crash remained under investigation. KTLA reported that the helicopter was submerged in 240 feet (73 meters) of water off Catalina, and the helicopter was believed to be owned by REACH Air Medical Services of Sacramento, California.
Investigation Details
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the crash, while the Los Angeles county fire department said the crash was reported at about 7:53 p.m. Wednesday off Pebbly Beach, near Avalon.
The U.S. Coast Guard identified the aircraft as an Airbus H135, a twin-engine helicopter commonly used for medical transport, and authorities said the helicopter crashed a couple hundred yards offshore in water roughly 240 to 250 feet deep.
The Coast Guard command center in the Los Angeles and Long Beach sector said the helicopter was an Airbus H135, and Tyler Robertson, a Coast Guard spokesman, said by telephone that the helicopter crashed about a couple hundred yards off the shore of the beach.
The Federal Aviation Administration was expected to be involved in the investigation, and Reach said in a statement that it was aware of an incident involving one of its helicopters and was coordinating with emergency responders and authorities.