2 dead, 2 hospitalized, 1 missing after Catalina Island helicopter crash, tell me about this news today

A medical evacuation helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island, California, shortly after taking off from Avalon. Five people were on board at the time of the incident.

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• The Flight: The helicopter, identified by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a Eurocopter EC-135 operated under REACH Air Medical Services (Global Medical Response), had arrived from Oceanside and was transporting a patient along with a family member toward Torrance Memorial Hospital on the mainland.

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• The Incident: Shortly before 8:00 p.m. local time, the aircraft went down into the ocean a short distance from the island, becoming submerged in approximately 240 feet (73 meters) of water.

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• Casualties & Rescue: First responders and local boat crews arrived quickly and recovered four occupants from the water. Two individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, and two survivors were taken to mainland hospitals in stable condition. Search-and-rescue teams, led by the U.S. Coast Guard and local emergency services, launched operations to locate the fifth person, who remains missing.

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• Investigation: The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash, with plans to recover the submerged wreckage for technical examination.