Patient's Body Found After California Medical Helicopter Crashes Off Catalina Island
The discovery brings the death toll to three, with two other individuals recovering from injuries following the crash near Los Angeles.
Police divers have recovered the body of a patient who was missing after a medical helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island, authorities confirmed Friday. The recovery brings the total number of fatalities to three, while two other passengers are recovering from their injuries.
Divers with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department found the victim's body on Thursday within the helicopter wreckage. The search covered more than 156 square miles over 23 hours, according to the Coast Guard.
Relatives of the missing individual told ABC7 that the woman was being transported from Catalina Island to the mainland for medical treatment due to an allergic reaction. Her 20-year-old son reportedly accompanied her to assist with translation.
The helicopter, carrying five people, went down shortly after takeoff not far from the island. The cause of the crash remains unclear, and the National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation.
First responders rescued four people from the water on Wednesday night. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna identified the two individuals who died as the pilot and a nurse. A second medic and a fourth passenger, both men, were hospitalized in stable condition.
REACH Air Medical Services, the helicopter's operator, confirmed that two of its crew members died and a third was hospitalized. The company stated its focus would be on supporting its employees and their families.
The helicopter's wreckage was located approximately 200 feet below the water's surface. The aircraft was identified by the NTSB as a Eurocopter EC-135-P2 and is slated for evaluation at a secure facility.
The incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday. Two individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene, while two others were transported to mainland hospitals. The helicopter had departed from Oceanside and arrived on Catalina Island approximately 24 minutes later.
This crash follows two other helicopter incidents in California within the past month: a firefighting helicopter crash in Yosemite National Park that killed two pilots on December 7, and a news helicopter crash in Los Angeles on November 30 that resulted in two fatalities.