A medical helicopter crash off Catalina Island near Los Angeles has resulted in a death toll of three, with two others recovering from injuries. Authorities reported on Friday that police divers located the body of a patient who had been missing since the crash.
Search and Recovery
Divers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department discovered the victim's body on Thursday within the wreckage of the helicopter. The search spanned over 156 square miles (404 square kilometers) and lasted more than 23 hours, according to a statement from the Coast Guard.
Relatives of the missing woman informed local TV network ABC7 that she was being transported from Catalina Island to the mainland due to an allergic reaction. Her 20-year-old son accompanied her as a language interpreter.
Incident Details
The helicopter, which had five people on board, crashed shortly after takeoff, hitting the water not far from the island. The cause of the crash remains unclear, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating.
