A medical flight operated by REACH Air Medical Services crashed near Catalina Island on September 30, resulting in three fatalities. The dead include nurse Jessica Devries and a patient, Catalina Hernandez.
The loss of Nurse Jessica Devries and Catalina Hernandez
The crash claimed the life of 48-year-old nurse Jessica Devries, a healthcare professional remembered by former colleagues at RCRMC County Hospital in Moreno Valley as a compassionate and joyful soul. Devries was part of a specialized medical team tasked with an emergency transport when the aircraft went down. Alongside her, the crash killed Catalina Hernandez, a woman who was being airlifted to the mainland after suffering a severe allergic reaction to food.
The tragedy also impacted the fammily of Catalina Hernandez, whose son was flying with the medical team to accompany his mother. While Hernandez's body was recovered from the Pacific Ocean by police divers on Friday, her son survived the impact but suffered broken bones, as reported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
A Eurocopter EC135 recovered from 218 feet of water
The aircraft involved in the incident was a Eurocopter EC135, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The helicopter crashed shortly after 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday near the Pebbly Beach helipad, located approximately one mile from Avalon. The wreckage was eventually located by recovery teams submerged under about 218 feet of water, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
In addition to the three fatalities—which included the pilot and nurse Jessica Devries—a male medic was injured in the plunge. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that the medic was transported to UCLA Medical Center for treatment.
A second tragedy following the Chatsworth news helicopter crash
This incident occurs amidst a period of heightened anxiety regarding aviation safety in Southern California. the loss of the REACH Air Medical Services crew comes only weeks after a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth while filming a bus collision, an event that killed a reporter, a pilot, and a bystander. This pattern of low-altitude accidents underscores the inherent risks faced by emergency and media flight crews operating in congested coastal corridors.
The impact of the crash is felt heavily in Oceanside, where the REACH 16 crew had been based at the Oceanside Fire Department Training Center for over a decade. Oceanside Fire Department Chief Jessamyn Specht noted that while no city personnel were on board, the REACH crews were considered part of the local public safety family due to years of shared training and facilities.
What caussed the REACH 16 aircraft to fail after takeoff?
Despite the recovery of the Eurocopter EC135, the specific catalyst for the crash remains unknown. Authorities have not yet determined why the aircraft went down so shortly after takeoff from the Catalina Island area. REACH Air Medical Services stated they are coordinating with emergency responders and authorities to gather information, but they have not released specific mechanical or pilot data.
The investigation is ongoing, with the Federal Aviation Administration and local law enforcement working to reconstruct the final moments of the flight. It remains unclear if the crash was the result of mechanical failure, pilot error, or unforeseen environmental conditions near Pebbly Beach .
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