Three Killed After News Helicopter Crashes in Los Angeles

Three people have died and two others have been taken to hospital after a news helicopter crashed in suburban Los Angeles, according to fire authorities in the city.

BBC reported that the helicopter was NBC Los Angeles’ NewsChopper4, which also operated for Telemundo 52, and was in the area on Tuesday covering a deadly bus crash.

The station confirmed that the two people aboard the helicopter, whom its hosts described as “valued friends and colleagues”, were Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw. The third victim was on the ground when the helicopter crashed, but was not immediately identified.

The aircraft went down shortly before 19:00 local time (01:00 BST) between two commercial buildings in the Chatsworth neighbourhood, a Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson told the BBC.

The crash sparked a fire that spread to four vehicles and two storage containers, while more than 70 firefighters were deployed to the scene, the LAFD said.

During emotional live coverage on NBC4, veteran news anchor Colleen Williams confirmed that the helicopter belonged to the local news station.

“We knew it was a news chopper. We knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received confirmation,” Williams said.

LAFD Captain Branden Silverman earlier told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that one person had been found outside the helicopter following the crash.

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“We do have one confirmed patient that seemed to be outside of the helicopter when it crashed.

“That person was declared deceased on scene,” Silverman said.

Several news helicopters were reportedly in the area at the time of the incident as journalists covered a separate bus crash in Chatsworth.

Earlier on Tuesday, two people were killed and six others injured after an SUV crashed into a city bus in the area, CBS reported.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division expressed its “thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and colleagues of KNBC 4, Los Angeles”.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also expressed her grief over the incident, saying she was “absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight”.

“My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash,” she added.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said “our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family”.

“Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the helicopter crash.