Two members of a flight crew have been confirmed dead and the third was rushed to a hospital after their medical helicopter crashed in Birmingham, southeast of Alabama.
The Lifesaver helicopter was on a call to airlift a hiker who was suffering from breathing problems and chest pains.
The Eurocopter EC130 crashed near Chelsea in Shelby County just before 5.30pm on Sunday.
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy Clay Hammac has three people on board and one of them was pronounced dead on the scene.
Two others were rushed to the hospital where another crew member was declared dead.
The condition of the third crew member was not immediately known.
The hiker was provided assistance and airlifted separately. The patient was taken to a hospital safely, the chief deputy said. The hiker’s condition was also not known.
"Our deputies did the best they could to render aid," chief deputy Hammac said. "The helicopter was on fire."
He added that “we count ourselves as family of all first responders, fire, medical and law enforcement”.
"Many of us in this profession know these individuals who were involved so this affects us very deeply,” he said.
Emergency crew members worked for hours at the site of the charred wreckage and secured the area for the night as the investigation continued.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash along with the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said in a tweet that Bear Creek Road and Mountain Oaks Drive have been shut down for both sides and “is likely it will be closed for an extended period of time”.
Chelsea mayor Tony Picklesimer said the members on Lifesaver were “heroes” as he offered condolences to the family.
"This flight crew on Lifesaver, they’re heroes and so our hearts go out to the families of these two flight members and a heartfelt thanks to my heroes, Chelsea Fire and Rescue and the deputies that responded," he said in the press conference.
"Please remember these families that will be left behind and that have to deal with this tragic event."
