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On Wednesday night, the U.S. Coast Guard launched a high-priority effort to try to find a missing individual from a medical-flight helicopter that crashed shortly after taking off from Catalina Island.
Two people were killed in the crash, including the pilot, per the Oceanside Fire Department. Two occupants of the flight were saved and hospitalized in stable condition. The last individual aboard the helicopter remained missing as of Thursday. Initial reports indicated a total of three people aboard the aircraft, but this was incorrect and later revised upwards.
The aircraft’s operator acknowledged the incident in a statement and confirmed that it is working with the authorities. It added that it could not currently provide further comments. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has joined the investigation.
The USCG said in a statement Thursday that the search has expanded to include a subsurface examination of the helicopter’s wreckage, performed via ROV. The wreck sits in 240 feet of water, according to local media, a depth that adds risk and requires more skill for human divers to perform safely.
FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE HERE: maritime-executive.com
