Catalina Island Medical Helicopter Crash Claims Three Lives After Pebbly Beach Takeoff
A REACH Air Medical Services medical helicopter crashed off Santa Catalina Island into roughly 218 feet of water on Wednesday night, killing three people and injuring two others, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The Eurocopter EC135 helicopter went down near the helipad at Pebbly Beach, about a mile from Avalon, just after 7:50 p.m. following takeoff while transporting a patient to the mainland for a food allergy reaction.
Federal safety authorities and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the fatal crash. The aircraft was carrying five people, including a pilot, a nurse, a medic, the patient, and the patient’s son.
Search and Recovery Operations in Avalon Waters
The U.S. Coast Guard, LA County Fire, and the LA County Sheriff’s Department spent nearly 24 hours searching the waters off Catalina Island for the missing wreckage and passengers. Dive teams located the helicopter resting on the ocean floor at a depth of 218 feet below sea level, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone stated during a Thursday news conference.
Rescue crews recovered four passengers immediately following the crash. Recovery divers located the final missing person—identified by family members as 45-year-old Catalina Hernandez of Avalon—inside the helicopter wreckage at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Hernandez was the patient who had suffered a food allergy reaction and was seeking additional medical treatment on the mainland.
Medical Examiner Identifies Three Crash Victims
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified one of the fatalities as 48-year-old nurse Jessica Devries. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that the male pilot and a female nurse were among the dead. The third fatality was the patient, Catalina Hernandez.
Two people survived the crash with injuries. The patient’s son, who was accompanying his mother and the medical crew, suffered broken bones and was hospitalized. A male medic sustained injuries and was transported to UCLA Medical Center, where a REACH spokesperson stated Thursday that he was recovering. Oceanside Fire Department Chief Jessamyn Specht noted that the crew had long-standing ties to the department, as the helicopter had been based at the agency’s training center for over a decade.
Officials and REACH Air Medical Services React
“The people onboard this helicopter dedicated their careers to saving lives,” LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn wrote in a statement. “They are heroes, and this is a terrible loss not just for Catalina but for our County.”
REACH Air Medical Services released a formal statement regarding the incident. “We are heartbroken by the tragic helicopter accident involving a REACH Air Medical Services aircraft,” a company spokesperson said. “At this time, we are gathering information and coordinating with emergency responders and authorities.”
Frequently Asked Questions About the Catalina Island Helicopter Crash
What type of aircraft was involved in the accident?
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Eurocopter EC135, and the National Transportation Safety Board specified it as a Eurocopter EC135 P2 operated by REACH Air Medical Services.
What time did the helicopter go down off Catalina Island?
Emergency responders received initial reports of the crash just after 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, after the aircraft took off from near the Pebbly Beach helipad approximately a mile from Avalon.
Which hospitals treated the survivors of the crash?
The surviving medic was treated at UCLA Medical Center (Ronald Reagan Medical Center at UCLA), while the patient’s son was treated at a hospital for broken bones.