A medical helicopter crash near Catalina Island has left three people dead after divers recovered the body of a missing patient.. Two other passengers are currently recovering from their injuries following the Wednesday night accident .
The 156-square-mile search for the third victim
Divers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department located the body of a missing patient on Thursday within the wreckage of the aircraft. According to the Coast Guard, the recovery operation spanned more than 156 square miles and lasted over 23 hours.
The wreckage was found at a depth of approximately 200 feet in the Pacific Ocean.. This recovery brings the total death toll to three, while two other individuals remain hospitalized, as reported by authorities.
A patient's allergic reaction and a son's translation
The victim recovered by divers was a woman being transported from Catalina Island to the mainland for urgent medical care. relatives told ABC7 that the woman had suffered an allergic reaction, and her 20-year-old son had joined her on the flight to assist with translation.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna identified two of the deceased as a male pilot and a female nurse. A third crew member and a fourth passenger, a man, were transported to hospitals on the mainland in stable condition, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The Eurocopter EC-135-P2 and REACH Air Medical Services
The aircraft involved in the crash has been identified by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a Eurocopter EC-135-P2. The NTSB plans to move the wreckage to a secure facility for a detailed technical evaluation to determine why the helicopter went down shortly after takeoff .
REACH Air Medical Services of Sacramento, the operator of the flight,confirmed the deaths of two crew members. While the company declined to provide specific operational details, REACH stated their focus remains on supporting the families of the lost personnel.
A cluster of California crashes from Yosemite to Los Angeles
This incident is part of a troubling series of aviation accidents in California. The Catalina Island crash occurred just 11 days after a firefighting helicopter crashed in Yosemite National Park, resulting in the deaths of two pilots.
Furthermore,a news helicopter crashed in Los Angeles two weeks prior to the medical flight disaster, also claiming two lives. This pattern of fatal helicopter accidents across different sectors—medical, news, and firefighting—raises concerns about regional flight safety and equipment maintenance.
What the NTSB must determine about the takeoff failure
A primary mystery remains regarding why the Eurocopter EC-135-P2 crashed so soon after departing the island. While the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, the specific mechanical or human factors that led to the plunge have not been disclosed.
Additionally, the reporting relies heavily on official statements from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and REACH Air Medical Services. It remains to be seen if independent witnesses or flight data recorders will provide a different narrative of the final moments before the aircraft hit the water.
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