Air ambulance helicopter crashes on Calif. freeway; 3 critically harm

Three passengers in a medical helicopter had been in crucial situation after the craft smashed into Freeway 50 in Sacramento — an impression so violent that first responders had been surprised anybody emerged alive. One passenger was ejected and landed 10 ft away from the chopper, and one other was pinned beneath the wreckage, authorities mentioned.

“I’m shocked that anybody truly was speaking and awake or dwelling by means of all of this,” mentioned Sacramento Fireplace Division spokesperson Capt. Justin Sylvia.

A purple REACH air ambulance helicopter crashed into the eastbound lanes of Freeway 50 simply west of 59th Road with three workers members on board at 7:08 p.m. Monday, he mentioned. Two feminine workers members and one male workers member had been transported to a hospital in crucial situation.

The primary hearth captain on scene used the assistance of about 15 bystanders to raise a part of the helicopter off one of many victims who was trapped beneath, Sylvia mentioned. One other sufferer was rescued from a helicopter chair that was ejected throughout the crash.

It appeared that the helicopter augered into the filth embankment on the aspect of the freeway, tearing up weeds with its tail rotor earlier than skidding throughout 5 freeway lanes.

REACH air ambulances are used to move sufferers to hospitals, usually from rural or hard-to-reach locations. On the time of the crash, there have been no sufferers on board, and it was not instantly identified what precipitated the accident.

“We’re conscious of an accident involving a REACH Air Medical helicopter on Freeway 50 in Sacramento this night and are maintaining all these impacted in our ideas and prayers,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement shared with The Instances. “We’re within the means of figuring out the small print of this example, in addition to the situation of the REACH crew concerned, who had been all taken to space hospitals. We are going to proceed to offer data because it turns into out there.”

In response to flight monitoring web site FlightRader24, the helicopter had taken off from California Davis Medical Heart in Sacramento and was heading north earlier than the crash.

The incident precipitated important visitors pileups on Freeway 50. As of 8 p.m. the westbound lanes had been flowing, however the eastbound lanes will most likely stay shut by means of the remainder of the evening, Sylvia mentioned.

A key concern is guaranteeing that remaining gasoline on the helicopter doesn’t ignite because the Fireplace Division and California Freeway Patrol examine the crash, he added.