A medical helicopter carrying five people crashed into the ocean near Catalina Island on the evening of September 30, killing at least two people. Two others were injured, and a search for the fifth person was ongoing.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department declared a major incident and launched a search and rescue mission with local partners. Four people were pulled from the water: two were pronounced dead at the scene, and two were transported to hospitals on the mainland.
Search and rescue operation
The crash occurred at around 7:53pm. In a statement, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said: “Four victims have been recovered from the water with search and rescue operations ongoing for a fifth victim who was reported in the aircraft.”
“Two of the recovered victims have been transported to hospitals on the mainland, and two victims have been pronounced deceased at scene.”
Ongoing response
The search for the fifth passenger continued as emergency services worked at the scene. Further details about the cause of the crash were not immediately available.
