California [US], October 12 (ANI): Five people, including a child, were hospitalised following a helicopter crash near a busy section of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Huntington Beach, California, CBS News reported.
The incident occurred shortly after 2 p.m. local time on Saturday near a parking lot off PCH, between Beach Boulevard and Twin Dolphins Drive, according to the Huntington Beach Fire Department. Both occupants of the helicopter survived and were safely extracted from the wreckage. Three pedestrians on the street at the time were also injured. All five individuals were taken to a nearby hospital, though their conditions had not been released as of Saturday evening.
In response, Huntington Beach Police closed a section of PCH between Huntington Street and Beach Boulevard around 3 p.m., advising motorists and residents to avoid the area while investigators examined the crash site.
Dramatic social media footage showed the helicopter spinning out of control before colliding with palm trees and an outdoor stairway of a pedestrian bridge connecting to the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa. Another video appeared to show an object falling from the aircraft just before it spiralled down, CBS News reported. Aerial images captured by SkyCal revealed extensive debris scattered across the beach access parking lot, which was cordoned off with police tape.
The helicopter’s tail section separated on impact, while the main body lodged between the stairwell and nearby palm trees. Several small helicopters were parked nearby in the same lot in front of the Hyatt Regency and Waterfront Beach Resort.
Witness Kevin Bullat described the scene: “You can hear this odd sound that didn’t sound right. I looked out and I saw the helicopter spiralling out of control… My friend saw shrapnel, or just debris, catapulting across PCH.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have been notified. The aircraft involved was a Bell 222, powered by two turboshaft engines and manufactured in 1980. (ANI)
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