Helicopter crash in Biscayne Bay kills one, injures two
A Robinson R44 II went down near Key Biscayne late Wednesday morning, leaving three adult men in the water.
By Kwame Silva ·
Three people were in the air when a helicopter crashed into Biscayne Bay near Miami late Wednesday morning. One man died in the water, while the other two survivors were hospitalized in critical but stable condition.
The aircraft was a Robinson R44 II. According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the occupants were taking photos of boats near Bill Baggs State Park off Key Biscayne when the plane went down. Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz confirmed at a news conference Wednesday afternoon that all three victims were adult males.
Rescue efforts involved units from local agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Sheriff’s office marine patrol units arrived to find a Good Samaritan attempting to pull one of the victims to shore. Miami firefighters tried to resuscitate the man, but he did not survive, Cordero-Stutz stated.
Border protection officers located the two surviving men and handed them over to Miami-Dade rescue workers for transport to a nearby trauma center. The helicopter was found upside down underwater with two yellow emergency floats attached to its landing skids, as shown in television footage of the scene.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the crash. South Florida has seen heavy showers in recent days, but officials said it was unclear if the weather played a role. Family members were still being notified by the time of the press conference.
