Hawaiian island mayor confirms sightseeing tour helicopter crash
Officials say a sightseeing tour helicopter carrying four passengers and one pilot crashed off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, on Thursday, the island's mayor, Derek Kawakami, confirmed. (KGMB, The Associated Press)
Three people were killed, and two others were injured Thursday when a tour helicopter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Hawaii.
According to the Kauai Police Department, dispatchers received a call at approximately 3:45 p.m. local time that a helicopter had crashed into the ocean near Kalalau Beach off the island of Kauai, Hawaii.
The Hughes/MD 500 helicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation, with one pilot and four passengers onboard, officials said.
Officials confirmed in a news release that the crash resulted in three fatalities. Two others were taken to Wilcox Medical Center for treatment.
TWO PEOPLE KILLED AFTER HELICOPTER HITS POWER LINE AND CRASHES INTO BARGE ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Kauai Ocean Safety members and other people assist individuals after an Airborne Aviation tourist helicopter crash on Kalalau Beach, Thursday, on Kauai, Hawaii. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Robertson/Station Kauai/U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
The crash location along Kauai’s north shore is a popular spot for helicopter tours, with views of cliffs, beaches and waterfalls along the Nā Pali Coast.
Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami noted the U.S. Coast Guard, along with local police and fire crews, "responded very quickly."
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Here on Kauai, whenever somebody puts their feet on our soil, they’re one of ours," Kawakami said. "We treat them like one of ours, they’re a part of our family, and our first responders respond with that spirit in mind."
It is unclear what led to the collision.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed in an X post it is investigating the crash.
Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami addresses a sightseeing tour helicopter crash off the Hawaiian coast on Thursday. (The Associated Press)
The company’s website noted its aircraft do not have doors or a middle rear seat "for optimal viewing and photography."
Airborne Aviation confirmed to Fox News Digital that one of its helicopters was involved in the crash.
"Our immediate priority is supporting the victims, their families, and our team members. We are fully cooperating with the appropriate authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, as they conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of this incident," the company said.
The tour company added that "safety has always been the foundation of our operations, and we are committed to understanding exactly what occurred."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set up a new process in 2023 for air tour operators in Hawaii to be approved to fly at lower altitudes following a slew of fatal crashes, according to a report from The Associated Press.
Police and firefighters work on the site after a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan, April 10, 2025, in New York. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)
At least 16 people have died in helicopter crashes in Hawaii in the past seven years, the outlet reported.
Nearly a year ago, a New York City tour helicopter plunged into the Hudson River, killing all six people on board.
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A pilot and five members of a family visiting from Spain, including Siemens executive Agustin Escobar; his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal; and their three young children, were pulled from the water by divers and pronounced dead.
Though the cause of the April 2025 crash remains unknown, a preliminary report from the NTSB notes several witnesses heard multiple "loud bangs" coming from the Bell 206L-4 aircraft before it "suddenly" broke into three major sections midair and dropped into the river.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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