Three people are critical after a medical helicopter crashed on a Californian highway on Monday, October 6, the US media reported, local authorities indicating that emergency equipment had closed certain traffic lanes.
The helicopter crashed shortly after 7:00 pm (2 am in France on Tuesday) on highway 50 in the eastern direction, in the state capital, Sacramento. Flight tracking data shows that he had taken off from the UC Davis Medical Center a few minutes ago.
Three crew members in critical condition
A pilot, a nurse and an Ambulancer were on board and were transported to the hospital after the accident in a critical condition, said the Sacramento Fire Service cited by CNN. No patient was in the helicopter and no road vehicle was involved in the accident, authorities said.
The images published on social networks show the helicopter that looms on a row of cars before colliding close to the medium central in a cloud of smoke. The passersby helped the first interested parties to lift the helicopter to get to a person trapped below, firefighters said.
The Patrol Office of the Highway on the Southern Area of Sackrament in California said that East Us-50 and two access straps to this road were “closed with an estimated arrival hour for reopening.”
“Take alternative routes and delays in the plan. Additional closures and traffic jams are possible in the sector,” said the office in X on Monday night, before announcing the reopening of “all tracks” the next day, while asking motorists to “remain vigilant” this Tuesday, October 7.
One in progress in progress
The cause of the accident is still the subject of an investigation, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s office declares that he was helping the road patrol, CBS News reported.
The municipal councilor of Sacramento, Lisa Kaplan, published photos in X that showed long rows of traffic on the road. He also addressed his support for “victims of the accident” and thanked “our officers and all the pilots for their public service.”
The records of the Federal American Administration Aviation have shown that the helicopter was registered with the medical services of Reach Air, CNN reported. Kirsten Gurmendi, Director of Public Relations of Global Medical Response, the Reach’s parent company, said the company was aware of the accident and that no patient was on board.
“We are determining the details of this situation, as well as the health status of the crew of the scope involved, which was transported to hospitals in the region,” said Kirsten Gurmendi to the AFP.
Source: BFM TV
