Photos Show Charred Wreckage from Deadly Crash of News Helicopter in LA
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By Sareen Habeshian, Los Angeles
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators have released new photos showcasing the severe aftermath of a news helicopter crash in Los Angeles that claimed three lives on Tuesday night.
The collision took the lives of NBC photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. The third victim, identified as Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, by the coroner’s office, was a pedestrian.
The NTSB, leading the investigation, stated that a report on the crash's cause could take up to 18 months. They noted that Marciniw was an experienced pilot.
Mejia, the Guatemalan national who had only arrived in Los Angeles this week, was among those killed when the helicopter came down. NBC News reported several other news helicopters were overhead during the incident.
The driver in a related bus crash has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The cause of the helicopter crash remains undetermined at this time.
NBC Los Angeles's NewsChopper4, also operated by Telemundo 52, was reporting on a deadly bus crash when it occurred.
Investigators are collecting data at the scene and plan to move the helicopter to a secure facility for further examination of the wreckage.
The NTSB, an independent US government agency investigating civil transportation accidents, announced that a preliminary report will be issued within 30 days, with a final report potentially taking up to 18 months. They considered video circulating online of the helicopter’s view moments before the crash as "probably the most important evidence."
George Marciniw (via CBS News) and Eliana Moreno were the other two victims killed in the incident. Two others were hospitalized.