Los Angeles — A helicopter crash along the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, California, on Saturday afternoon resulted in five people being hospitalized.
The incident occurred around 2:09 p.m., near the Cars and Copters on the Coast event in front of the Waterfront Beach Resort, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Footage from KTLA depicts the helicopter descending as spectators looked on, before it suddenly plummeted near the road.
Another video shared showed onlookers witnessing the helicopter briefly hovering above, followed by it spinning violently, prompting people on the ground to flee.
Witnesses reported seeing a rotor detach from the helicopter just before it collided with palm trees and the bridge pathway near the hotel.
A spokesperson from the Huntington Beach Police Department relayed that two individuals were aboard the helicopter, both of whom escaped. However, three others on the road sustained injuries, and all five were transported to the hospital.
Curt Johnston, who was just meters away when it happened, described the scene: “It was literally right over my head. It was like a nightmare.” He mentioned seeing an elderly man, around 85, with a head injury trying to stop the bleeding.
Witness Darrell Hallett noted, “We got the pilot down and they gave the thumbs up, so I think he’s OK.” Another witness, Grayson Hallett, mentioned police advised them to move due to the risk of explosion.
Videos from the crash site even captured a child being rescued from the wreckage. Details on the condition of the victims or what caused the crash remain unclear.
The helicopter involved is a rare Bell 222, known for its role in the 1980s series “Airwolf.”
City officials stated that the helicopter was connected to the Cars and Copters event planned for Sunday. Both the FAA and NTSB have been made aware of the accident, and the investigation is underway.
The Cars and Copters event will proceed as scheduled on October 12th.
