Man died, woman rescued after helicopter plunged into Miami-Dade canal, officials say
UPDATE: Woman helped rescuers find her father after their chopper crashed in Miami-Dade canal
A man died in the hospital after first responders pulled him from a helicopter that plunged into a large canal in southwest Miami-Dade County early Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities. A woman who rode with him in the aircraft survived.
A Hughes 369 helicopter with two people aboard crashed in the waters three miles west of Miami Executive Airport around 1:50 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration told the Herald in an email Wednesday. It’s not yet clear who was flying the chopper.
More than a dozen Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units, including an air rescue helicopter, and police officers rushed to the canal parallel to Krome Avenue.
As first responders searched for survivors, onlookers and reporters alike looked in disbelief from afar near the corner of Southwest 136th Street and 188th Avenue in unincorporated Miami-Dade.
Witnesses riding ATVs in the area saw the chopper flying in the air out of control before it plummeted, Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told reporters near the site.
Moments later, a woman was seen swimming to safety before she directed Miami-Dade Fire Rescue divers to the submerged wreckage, Zabaleta said. Divers then took the man out of the water. It was not known how long he remained underwater.
They were both taken to a hospital, where the man died. Zabaleta said the woman was in stable condition as of Wednesday evening. Their names have not been released
An FAA air traffic control center is near the crash site, according to a sign posted at the property’s locked gate. Surrounding areas include several plant nurseries.
Zabaleta said the chopper would likely stay underwater until at least Thursday because it needs to be removed carefully from the canal to preserve evidence.
Both the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating. An NTSB official was heading to the site to take a look at the wreckage Wednesday evening.
“Once on site, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft,” Peter C. Knudson, an NTSB spokesman, said in an email. “The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation.”
Witnesses or those who have other information that could be relevant to the investigation, including footage of the crash, are asked to email the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
