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NBC news helicopter crashes and kills at least 3 in LA neighborhood
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Gross, a fire department battalion chief. Their conditions were not immediately released.
Gavin Newsom thanked the emergency crews responding to both crashes and said in a post on X that "our hearts are with the victims and families."
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said personnel will arrive Wednesday to begin an investigation into the cause of the helicopter crash.
There have been at least eight fatal crashes involving news helicopters in the U.S. since 2000, killing 16 people, according to a review of federal accident records and news accounts.
They include a 2023 crash in a New Jersey forest that killed the pilot and a photographer aboard a helicopter used by Philadelphia station WPVI and a 2022 crash beside a Charlotte, North Carolina, interstate that killed a pilot and meteorologist during a training flight for WBTV.
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− National 3 people killed when news helicopter crashes while covering LA bus accident Updated September 16, 20263:39 AM ET Originally published September 16, 202612:06 AM ET By
The Associated Press
First responders work the scene after a helicopter crashed near a bus crash in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept.
+ National 3 people killed when news helicopter crashes while covering LA bus accident Updated September 16, 20265:07 AM ET Originally published September 16, 202612:06 AM ET By
The Associated Press
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined by other officials walk to a news conference near the scene of a helicopter crash in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Sept.
− Ethan Swope/AP hide caption
LOS ANGELES — A news helicopter used by NBC and Telemundo crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday and burst into flames, killing at least three people while reporters were covering the nearby crash of an SUV and a city bus, officials and the NBC outlet said.
+ Ethan Swope/AP hide caption
LOS ANGELES — A news helicopter crashed in a Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday and burst into flames, killing at least three people while reporters were covering the collision of an SUV and a city bus, officials and the news outlet said.
− Colleen Williams, an NBC4 Los Angeles anchor, confirmed during live broadcasts that the station's chopper went down just before 7 p.m.
+ Colleen Williams, an NBC4 Los Angeles anchor, confirmed during live broadcasts that two people were killed when the chopper went down.
− and two people were killed.
+ At least one other person was killed on the ground, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
− "We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it," she said, her voice shaking with emotion.
+ "We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it," Williams said, her voice shaking with emotion.
− Moments later the coverage abruptly cut off.
+ Moments later the coverage cut off.
− Williams and the station's website later identified them as Eliana Moreno, a familiar voice for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 during the station's aerial coverage, and pilot George Marciniw.
+ The helicopter, used by NBC and Telemundo, went down near a large storage facility in the neighborhood of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley, officials said.
− Both were Angel City Air employees.
Fire officials, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other politicians spoke during a news conference Tuesday night but did not identify any victims.
+ News crews were reporting on a collision from earlier in the day, when an SUV slammed into the middle of a city bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others.
− They later embraced a crying NBC reporter who also was hugged by fellow journalists.
+ Photos and videos online showed half the SUV lodged in the side of the bus.
− The helicopter crashed near a large storage facility in the neighborhood of Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley, as news crews were covering the bus crash that left at least two people dead and six others injured, according the Los Angeles Fire Department.
"Losing five Angelenos is very painful," Bass said.
+ "From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," Capt.
− "And I know this community of Chatsworth hit hard, will be grieving for some time."
At least one person killed in the helicopter crash was outside in the parking lot next to a commercial building, said Capt.
+ Branden Silverman, a spokesperson for the fire department, said.
− Branden Silverman, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department.
"From the helicopter itself, it's pretty well destroyed," Silverman said.
+ "So we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter; we couldn't even see a tail."
At least four cars and two storage containers on the ground burned after the helicopter caught fire, which was quickly put out, according to officials.
− "So we are going to have to go through the rubble and see how many victims there were on board, as well as identify the helicopter; we couldn't even see a tail."
Two people were transported to a hospital, said Rico A.
+ NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik was at the bus scene and saw black smoke and rushed to the helicopter crash site.
+ Dozens of police cars surrounded the scene as ambulances entered.
Two people were brought to a hospital, said Rico A.
− NBC4 reporter Robert Kovacik was at the bus scene and saw black smoke and rushed to the helicopter crash site.
+ Williams and the station's website identified the dead aboard the helicopter as Eliana Moreno, a familiar voice for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 during the station's aerial coverage, and pilot George Marciniw.
− One of those transported to the hospital seemed to be in shock after witnessing the crash, Kovacik said.
+ Both were employees of Angel City Air, which operated the chopper.
− At least four cars and two storage containers on the ground burned after the helicopter caught fire, which was quickly put out, according to officials.
+ Moreno, born in Orange County, joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010, the same year she earned a broadcast journalism and political science degree from Chapman University.
− More than 70 firefighters responded to the helicopter crash, according to the fire department. Dozens of police cars surrounded the scene at the storage facility as ambulances entered.
+ She reported for several Southern California news outlets and began flying with Marciniw in 2023, the NBC4 website said.
− About two hours before the crash, an SUV slammed into the middle of a city bus, killing at least two people and injuring six others. Photos and videos online showed half the SUV lodged into the side of an MTA bus.
+ Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.
− Several TV news helicopters were reporting on the bush crash before the helicopter went down a short distance from the bus collision, according to NBC4, which said NewsChopper4 was operated by Angel City Air and used by NBCLA and Telemundo 52.
Moreno, from Orange County, was a 1974 graduate of Burbank High School and joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010 after earning a broadcast journalism and political science degree from Chapman University.
+ "Losing five Angelenos is very painful," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.
− She reported for several Southern California media outlets and began flying with Marciniw in 2023, the NBC4 website said.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles said in a statement they "are deeply saddened" to learn of the helicopter crash and extended "heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives."
Gov.
+ "And I know this community of Chatsworth, hit hard, will be grieving for some time."
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles said in a statement they "are deeply saddened" and extended "heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives."
Gov.