2 injured, 1 killed when helicopter crashes into Biscayne Bay off Key Biscayne, MDSO says
By Steven Yablonski, Abby Dodge, Ivan Taylor and Peter D’Oench
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KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (WFOR) — Two people were injured and one person was killed when a helicopter crashed into Biscayne Bay off Key Biscayne on Wednesday morning.
The Robinson R44 helicopter crashed into the water around after 11 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office, the helicopter went down as the occupants, who have only been identified as three adult males, were taking photos of boats near Bill Baggs State Park off Key Biscayne.
As a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said that when MDSO marine units arrived after the crash, they found a Good Samaritan trying to help one of the victims and bring him to shore.
First responders attempted to save his life but were unsuccessful.
“While MDSO was assisting the victim, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations located two injured adult male victims from the helicopter and transported them to the dock at No Name Harbor,” the MDSO said in a news release. “Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) airlifted both victims to a local hospital in critical, but stable condition.”
At this point in the investigation it’s unknown what may have caused the helicopter to crash.
“We don’t have a cause for the crash,” Cordero-Stutz said. “We are working in partnership with the FAA and the NTSB. This is a very tragic event. This is very early on in the investigation, and our hearts go out to the people involved in the tragedy.”
CBS News Miami spoke to a woman outside of Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She said her son was involved in the helicopter crash Wednesday.
“He’s being assessed by the doctors and he’s alive,” the woman said. “We’re thanking the good Lord for that.”
The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation and provide additional updates. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is also investigating.
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