A helicopter carrying three people plunged into the waters off Miami on Wednesday morning, killing one man and leaving two others critically injured in a terrifying crash that sparked a massive emergency response.
The Robinson R44 II helicopter went down shortly before noon on November 4 in Biscayne Bay, near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. What appeared to be a routine aerial photography flight ended in tragedy when the aircraft crashed into the water and overturned.
Shocking aerial footage showed the helicopter upside down and partially submerged, with its bright yellow emergency flotation devices visible above the surface as rescue crews rushed to reach those aboard.
Authorities said the helicopter had been carrying three people on what investigators believe was a photography flight to capture images of boats. The aircraft reportedly departed North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines shortly before 11 a.m.
According to local reports citing flight-tracking data, the helicopter circled near the Key Biscayne Bridge before rapidly losing altitude and crashing near Nixon Beach.
A massive rescue operation unfolded as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, Miami Fire Rescue, Key Biscayne Fire Rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies converged on the scene.
One Good Samaritan reportedly attempted to bring a victim to shore, but firefighters were unable to save the man’s life. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers helped locate the two surviving occupants, who were transferred to emergency rescue crews.
The two survivors were initially transported by ambulance to a designated landing zone before being airlifted to a trauma center. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said both were in critical but stable condition.
The identities of the three people aboard had not been publicly released as authorities worked to notify their families.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation to determine what caused the helicopter to go down. Investigators have not established whether mechanical trouble, weather conditions or another factor contributed to the crash.
The tragedy comes just three days after another devastating aviation disaster rocked South Florida.
On Sunday, November 1, a business jet carrying nine people crashed near Greenacres in Palm Beach County, killing everyone aboard. The aircraft, which was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas, encountered bad weather before the pilot declared an emergency.
Federal investigators are now examining both deadly crashes, which have claimed 10 lives in Florida in less than a week.
For now, the circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s helicopter crash remain a mystery as investigators work to piece together the aircraft’s final moments.
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