Two firefighting helicopters collided mid-air Sunday night, killing three firefighters who were battling a blaze in Southern California near Cabazon.
As firefighters responded to a structure fire near Cabazon, the blaze ignited surrounding vegetation, initiating a wildfire response that prompted the dispatch of the helicopters, according to the CAL Fire/Riverside County Fire Department. While attempting to put out the blaze, two of the helicopters collided in mid-air, sending one crashing to the ground, starting another fire, the outlet stated.
Media Briefing – Helicopter Crash in Cabazon, CA https://t.co/J7ngV1TK1L
— CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department (@CALFIRERRU) August 7, 2023
Though officials stopped the subsequent blaze from the collision, the crash claimed the lives of all three passengers on the crashed helicopter, Cal Fire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher said Monday morning, according to The AP. Fulcher identified the victims as a Cal Fire Division chief, a Cal Fire captain and a contract client pilot, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Count Sheriff Helicopter Crashes While Responding To Car Crash, 6 People Hospitalized)
“Although this was a tragic event, we are also thankful today that it wasn’t worse. The individuals in the first helicopter were able to able to land safely without incident and no one else was hurt,” Fulcher said, according to The AP.
“We think about this, and how it affects the families. They have lost – we have lost – three great individuals. Three fathers. Three husbands. Three friends. Three sons,” Fulcher continued, adding that they were reaching out to the families to offer support during this difficult time.
An investigation into what caused the collision is ongoing.