Medevac helicopter crash off Catalina Island leaves two dead and one person missing

A REACH medical helicopter crashed into the ocean near Catalina Island shortly after takeoff, leaving two dead, two hurt and one missing as crews searched through the night.

The aircraft went down in the waters off Avalon on Wednesday night just after lifting off, ABC7 reported. Los Angeles County Fire Department units opened a marine search and rescue after a call around 7:53 p.m. described people in the ocean.

By late Wednesday, the fire department said two people had died, two were hospitalized, and a fifth person was still missing. Search teams kept working through the night.

The Coast Guard’s Los Angeles Station said at least five people had gone into the water after the crash and helped with the rescue. Early headcounts did not line up cleanly: the first fire report spoke of three people in the ocean, while the Coast Guard described at least five in the water, and the final accounting settled at two dead, two injured, and one missing.

Sudden disasters that leave people unaccounted for put the same strain on families and rescue crews seen in other mass-casualty emergencies, including a deadly mudslide near the Nepal-China border.

Survivors pulled from debris and fuel

The New York Post reported the aircraft was a REACH Air Medical Services EC135 that left a Pebbly Beach helipad near Avalon. The missing person was identified as the patient. Two survivors were rescued and taken to the mainland.

Dispatch audio captured the urgency on the water. A witness reported the scene in plain terms.

"This is a helicopter crash by water. We do have survivors in the water."

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Mark Leahey said conditions on scene were calm and called them ideal for a search. He also warned of heavy debris and fuel in the water from the wrecked helicopter.

At least one victim was later seen being wheeled off a helicopter at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after AIR7 flew over the hospital.

Flight started in Oceanside before the fatal takeoff

The helicopter had already flown once that evening. It departed Oceanside around 6:41 p.m., landed on Catalina about 7:04 p.m., then crashed less than an hour later on the return leg toward the mainland.

Fox News reported five people were aboard when the medevac went into the water shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday. One remained unaccounted for while the other four were taken to hospitals, with two described in stable condition and two in unknown condition at the time of that account.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said L.A. County Fire, the Sheriff’s Department, the Coast Guard, and Avalon Fire were on scene and that search and rescue was underway. She said she was praying for everyone who had been on board.

Aviation incidents always raise hard questions about prep and oversight, the same kind of scrutiny that follows when the Pentagon reviews Air Force One security after a serious breach.

REACH says well-being of those involved comes first

REACH Air Medical Services confirmed one of its helicopters was involved. A company spokesperson released a short statement while details were still being gathered.

"We are aware of an incident involving a REACH Air Medical Services helicopter. At this time, we are gathering information and coordinating with emergency responders and authorities. We are unable to provide additional details at this stage and will share more information when it becomes available. Our immediate concern is for the well-being of those involved."

No victim or crew names were released in the initial reports. The cause of the crash remained under investigation. Officials did not describe a mechanical failure, weather problem, or pilot error in the first wave of statements.

Travel emergencies can escalate fast, whether a medevac drops into open water or a measles-infected traveler moves through a major airport and sparks a wider health response.

What is known is narrow and grim. A medical flight left Catalina after dark. It hit the water soon after takeoff. Two people died. Two reached hospitals. One person, the patient, according to later reporting, was still missing while debris and fuel marked the crash site under otherwise calm seas.

Families waiting on names and answers deserve a full accounting of what put that helicopter in the water. So do the crews who flew into the dark to pull strangers out.