3 killed, 2 injured in Hawaii helicopter tour crash
Three people were killed and two others injured after a helicopter crashed off Kalalau Beach in Kauai, Hawaii, on Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities.
The crash happened around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Emergency dispatchers received reports of a helicopter going down in the ocean near the remote beach. Authorities said the aircraft was carrying one pilot and four passengers.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene. At a news conference on Friday, authorities identified two of the victims as 65-year-old Margaret Rimmler and 59-year-old Patrick Haskell, both of Massachusetts. The identity of a third victim, a 40-year-old woman, has not yet been released pending notification of family members.
Bystanders and Kauai Fire Department crews rescued and medically evacuated two survivors to Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue, Hawaii, the Coast Guard said.
They remain under medical care, authorities said Friday
"We are greatly saddened by the loss of three lives in this helicopter crash and thinking of those individuals' families and friends," Cmdr. Andrew Williams, search and rescue mission coordinator with the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, said in a statement.
"We are also keeping the survivors in our thoughts as they begin their recovery. We remain grateful for close coordination with our partner agencies throughout this tragic incident," Williams added.
The Kauai Fire Department responded with an Air 1 helicopter crew and Ocean Safety Bureau officers aboard jet skis from Hanalei Bay, according to the Coast Guard.
The helicopter, a Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, was operated by Airborne Aviation, the tour company confirmed.
"We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our helicopters was involved in an accident in the waters off of Kalalau Beach yesterday," Airborne Aviation said in a statement on Friday. "Our hearts are with the families and loved ones affected by this devastating event, and we extend our deepest condolences during this incredibly difficult time.
Investigators have not determined a cause, and officials cautioned that the investigation is in its early stages.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
Airborne Aviation said it is "fully cooperating" with the investigation.
"Safety has always been the foundation of our operations, and we are committed to understanding exactly what occurred," it said.
ABC News' Jason Volack contributed to this report.
