A pilot and nurse were killed, and two others were hospitalized after a medical helicopter went down Wednesday.
Authorities located the missing fifth passenger Thursday evening after a medical helicopter crashed off Catalina Island, according to ABC7’s report citing the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The department said the person was found shortly before 6:30 p.m. and was in the custody of the Sheriff’s Department. That update did not provide further details about the person’s condition.
The REACH Air Medical Services helicopter carried five people when it crashed near Pebbly Beach shortly after takeoff around 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, September 30.
Authorities identified the two people killed as the male pilot and a female nurse. Another medic and a male passenger were hospitalized; the Coast Guard reported that the survivors were in stable condition.
Sheriff Robert Luna said the missing passenger was a patient being transported to the mainland for treatment.
Emergency crews searched the surrounding waters, and responders located the wreckage underwater using a remotely operated vehicle. Sheriff’s personnel assisted with preserving debris for federal investigators.
The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. The cause has not been established.
REACH said it was coordinating with emergency responders and authorities, with the well-being of those involved its immediate concern.
Sources
ABC7, updated October 2; Associated Press, October 1.
File photo of Avalon harbor, not the crash scene. Photo by Erick Morales Oyola on Unsplash.
