A medical transport helicopter crashed into the ocean off Santa Catalina Island on the night of September 30, killing two people, injuring two others, and leaving a fifth person missing. As of the afternoon of October 1, the U.S. Coast Guard was still searching the waters off the island.
The Airbus H-135 (Eurocopter EC-135-P2), operated by Reach Air Medical Services, went down around 7:50 p.m. near Pebbly Beach on the island's eastern side, according to a Coast Guard news release issued October 1. Flight tracking data showed the helicopter had taken off from Oceanside in San Diego County at 6:40 p.m., landed on Catalina at 7:04 p.m., and crashed less than an hour later on its return leg.
The Coast Guard, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the county sheriff's department rushed to the scene and pulled four people from the water: two were pronounced dead and two were transported to mainland hospitals. The wreckage rests about 240 feet below the surface, roughly 22 miles off the Los Angeles mainland.
At an afternoon news conference on October 1, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna identified the two fatalities as the male pilot and a female nurse — both crew members. A second medic was seriously injured, and a fourth person, a man, suffered minor injuries. Authorities have not released the victims' names.
The National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the investigation; the cause of the crash remains unknown. Reach Air Medical Services said in a statement that it was still gathering information and coordinating with authorities: "Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones and colleagues affected by this tragedy."
Missing Passenger Was Being Medically Evacuated
Relatives told ABC7 that the missing person was a woman who had suffered an allergic reaction and was being airlifted for treatment; her 20-year-old son boarded the helicopter to help translate for her. It was not immediately clear whether the son was among the rescued.
Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy said at a morning briefing on October 1: "The efforts this morning are twofold — we're still doing an active search for the person who's missing. In addition to that, the divers and the remote operated vehicle are going to get a look at more of the wreckage." A memorial service was held on the island to honor the victims.
California's Third Fatal Helicopter Crash in Weeks
The crash is the third fatal helicopter accident in California in recent weeks: a firefighting helicopter went down in Yosemite National Park eleven days earlier, killing two pilots, and a news helicopter crash in Los Angeles two weeks ago also killed two people.
The NTSB investigation is expected to take months. The Coast Guard said it will keep searching for the missing passenger as long as hope remains.