Miami Beach: Helicopter crashes into the ocean during crowded holiday weekend (Video)
Yesterday, the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) announced that at 1:10 p.m., their headquarters received a call of a helicopter crash in the ocean near 10th Street. Police and Miami Beach Fire responded to the scene along with several partner agencies. The helicopter crashed very close to the shoreline and only scant feet from the holiday weekend beachgoers splashing in the surf.
Two occupants from the helicopter were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Unit where they were listed in stable condition. Officials closed the beach from 9th to 11th Street.
The FAA was called to the scene to investigate the crash and said that the chopper is registered to HD Aviation Services in Pembroke Pines.
You can check out the crash on the Miami PD’s Facebook Page.
MSN reported Miami PD officials as saying that there was a third person aboard the helicopter – who was not injured in the crash.
Amazingly, with so many people at the beach enjoying the Presidents Day Holiday Weekend, those on the scene say it’s a miracle that none of the beachgoers were injured – especially being so close to the crash site.
“We could have been easily hit by it like the damage of that,” tourist Kaela Berger said.
The Miami Beach Fire Department said that “if this crash had happened 50 yards more inland, we would have had a mass casualty event on our hands” and that it’s “incredible, insane” that no one in the water was injured. ~ NBC News
In addition to posting the incredible video of the crash to their Facebook page, the Miami Beach PD also posted the footage to their Twitter feed.
It’s still not clear what caused the crash; but the National Transportation Safety Board has assumed the investigation according to CBS News.
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
