Medical helicopter crash in Mississippi kills 3
MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (AP) — A medical transport helicopter crashed in Mississippi on Monday, killing a pilot and two hospital workers on board, officials said.
The helicopter was returning to Columbus from a patient transport when it crashed in Madison County at around 12:30 pm, killing everyone on board, the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s vice chancellor for health affairs, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, said at a press conference.
“The entire Medical Center family is heartbroken over this,” Woodward said.
This was the first crash in the 29 years that the AirCare emergency services have been operational, according to a statement from the university. The school did not offer a reason for the crash but said that the Federal Aviation Administration and other authorities were investigating.
Families of the three victims were notified, but authorities didn’t release names to protect privacy.
“It’s a tragic reminder of the risks Mississippi’s first responders take every day to keep us safe,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on Facebook. “Our state will never forget the sacrifice of these heroes.”
