Two individuals have died and one person remains missing following the crash of a medical transport helicopter off the coast of Catalina Island on Wednesday. The aircraft was en route from the island to the mainland when it went down in the Pacific Ocean.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department received a marine rescue call around 7:43 p.m. concerning three individuals in the water. Officials later confirmed that the helicopter, an Airbus H-135 owned by REACH Air Medical Services, was carrying five people. Rescuers located four individuals; two were pronounced deceased at the scene, while the remaining two were rescued and transported to mainland hospitals in stable condition.
A search operation for the fifth missing person continued through the night, coordinated by the U.S. Coast Guard, which deployed an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a 45-foot response boat. REACH Air Medical Services has stated it is cooperating with authorities and gathering information, expressing condolences to those affected by the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the crash. NTSB investigators are expected to arrive at the scene to document the site and examine the helicopter upon its recovery. The agency noted that it is very early in the investigation and limited information is currently available.
This incident follows a previous fatal crash involving a REACH Air Medical Services helicopter in October, where a nurse was killed and two crew members were injured. The NTSB's preliminary report on that earlier crash indicated a loss of power shortly after takeoff, leading to an autorotation and subsequent crash onto a roadway. A final report on that incident is still pending.
