Multiple People Dead After Medevac Helicopter Crashes Off LA Coast
At least two individuals died near Los Angeles after a medevac helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after departing from Catalina Island. The incident occurred around 7:53 PM, involving a helicopter owned by REACH Air Medical Services. Of the five people onboard, two were confirmed dead at the scene, two were transported to hospitals in stable condition, and one remains missing despite ongoing search efforts. Authorities, including fire departments, the Coast Guard, and sheriff’s deputies, responded quickly to the scene in water approximately 240 feet deep. The examination into the crash is underway, with the NTSB expected to arrive to examine the aircraft once recovery operations are completed. This crash follows a recent helicopter accident that resulted in three fatalities while covering a news story in Los Angeles.
At least two people were killed Wednesday night near Los Angeles in the second fatal helicopter crash in the area in the past two weeks.
A medevac chopper with five people aboard crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Catalina Island just after taking off from the island, according to KTLA-TV.
Two people were confirmed dead, one person was listed as missing, and two people were hospitalized, the Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed.
“At approximately 7:53 this evening, L.A. County Fire, as well as lifeguards, the sheriff’s department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a downed helicopter departing Catalina Island and bound for the mainland,” L.A. County Fire Engineer Jonathan Torres said.
“Of the onboard patients, four of the five have been found. There is still one outstanding. Two were transported to local area hospitals on the mainland in stable condition. We can confirm there are two deceased at the scene.”
Helicopter crashes off Catalina Island with 5 people aboard https://t.co/MPRl0mhjpn pic.twitter.com/BiGrlcGHzp
— New York Post (@nypost) October 1, 2026
Torres said the search for the missing individual will continue.
A pilot, nurse, patient and two other people were reportedly on board when the helicopter crashed in what was estimated to be 240 feet of water.
“I have been informed that a medevac helicopter leaving Catalina Island has crashed shortly after takeoff,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said.
“L.A. County Fire, Sheriff, Coast Guard, and Avalon Fire are on the scene. Search and rescue operations are underway, and I am praying for everyone who was on board,” he said.
The aircraft that went down is reportedly owned by REACH Air Medical Services. The company is based in Sacramento.
Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to arrive Thursday morning.
“It is very early in the investigation, and limited information is available at this time. NTSB investigators are expected to arrive on scene today to begin documenting the site and examining the aircraft once recovery efforts — currently being handled by parties other than the NTSB — are complete,” an NTSB representative said.
“After recovery, the aircraft will be transported to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the representative said,
The accident came about two weeks after a news helicopter crashed, killing three people.
The Associated Press reported that the helicopter, which was used by the local NBC and Telemundo outlets, crashed shortly before 7 p.m. Pacific Time while it was covering a Los Angeles Metro bus collision.
The helicopter went down by a storage facility in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles,
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