A medical helicopter crashed into the waters off Catalina Island near Los Angeles, killing two people, injuring two others and leaving a fifth person missing, authorities said.
The crash happened shortly before 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, shortly after the helicopter took off from Catalina Island. Emergency crews were quickly dispatched to the area after receiving reports that the aircraft had gone down in the ocean.
First responders recovered four people from the water. Two were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were taken by helicopter or boat to hospitals on the mainland. Authorities said the two survivors were in stable condition, although preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration indicated that one of the injured people suffered serious injuries.
Officials later identified the two deceased as the male pilot and a female nurse who were working aboard the aircraft. Another medic and a male passenger survived the crash and were hospitalized. The operator, REACH Air Medical Services, confirmed that two members of its crew were among those involved.
A fifth person who was believed to have been aboard remained missing as rescue operations continued. The U.S. Coast Guard, firefighters, sheriff’s department divers and other emergency personnel searched the area through the night and into Thursday.
Coast Guard officials said the helicopter went down a short distance from the island shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was later located underwater at a depth of about 240 feet, or 73 meters, making the recovery and search operation more difficult.
The helicopter was transporting a patient from Catalina Island to the mainland for additional medical care. Relatives of the patient told local media that she had suffered an allergic reaction and that her 20-year-old son had accompanied her to help with translation. Authorities had not immediately released the identities of those involved.
The aircraft was identified as a Eurocopter EC-135-P2 operated by REACH Air Medical Services, a Sacramento-based medical transport company. The company said it was gathering information and coordinating with emergency responders while supporting its employees, their families and others affected by the crash.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation and was expected to examine the wreckage as part of efforts to determine what happened in the moments after takeoff.
The incident also comes amid several recent helicopter crashes in California. Eleven days earlier, a firefighting helicopter crash in Yosemite National Park killed two pilots, while a separate news helicopter crash in Los Angeles about two weeks earlier also resulted in two deaths.
A memorial service was held on Catalina Island to honor those who died in the crash as rescue crews continued efforts to locate the missing passenger. Authorities said the search and investigation remained active as they worked to recover more information about the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the accident.
