A helicopter operated by NBC Los Angeles for news coverage crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, resulting in three fatalities and two injuries requiring hospitalization, according to fire department officials.
The aircraft, known as NewsChopper4 and also used by Telemundo 52, descended just before 19:00 local time between two commercial buildings. Two of the victims were identified as Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw, who worked as crew members aboard the helicopter. A third fatality occurred on the ground at the crash site, though authorities did not immediately release that individual’s identity. Two additional people sustained injuries and received medical care.
The impact and subsequent fire from the crash spread to four vehicles and two storage containers in the vicinity. Los Angeles Fire Department personnel mobilized more than 70 firefighters to address the blaze and conduct rescue operations at the scene. During live coverage, NBC4 news anchor Colleen Williams confirmed the aircraft belonged to the station and expressed the emotional toll of losing colleagues.
The helicopter had been dispatched to the Chatsworth neighborhood to provide aerial coverage of a separate traffic incident involving a city bus. Earlier that day, an SUV had collided with a public transit bus in the same area, resulting in two deaths and six additional injuries. Multiple news helicopters were operating in the vicinity at the time of the aviation accident.
Local and state officials issued statements responding to the incidents. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom both expressed condolences to affected families and commended first responders. The National Transportation Safety Board has assumed responsibility for investigating the helicopter crash.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI