Emergency crews fly two injured adults to trauma care as NTSB investigates
A Robinson R44 II helicopter carrying three people crashed in the waters of Biscayne Bay east of Miami executive airport on Wednesday morning, the US Coast Guard said. The crash left one person dead and two injured, and authorities responded at approximately 11:30 a.m.
The US Coast Guard said one person was reported dead and two people were transported by EMS to a higher level of care.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said two adult patients with traumatic injuries were transported by ground rescue units from Miami Fire Rescue and Key Biscayne Fire Rescue to a designated landing zone. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s air rescue unit then flew both patients to the main trauma center.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, Key Biscayne Fire Rescue and other agencies responded to the scene as part of a coordinated emergency response. The office said three individuals were involved in the incident and the investigation was ongoing.
Aerial footage shared online showed the helicopter submerged upside down in the water, with its yellow emergency floats still attached.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash. The Guardian said it had reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration for additional comment.
The Guardian noted that the helicopter crash came just days after a separate business jet crashed in Greenacres, in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday. The business jet was carrying nine people, and everyone aboard was killed.
The jet crew reported accumulating ice, turbulence and precipitation before declaring a Mayday. As the aircraft rapidly lost altitude, the pilot warned air traffic control that the jet was in an overspeed condition before it nose-dived into the ground.