Three members of a medical helicopter team have died in a crash in Kentucky.
The news was announced on Monday, Oct. 7 by Air Evac Lifetime, the company that runs the service.
In a statement shared on Facebook, they wrote, “Air Evac Lifeteam is heartbroken to share that three crew members from AEL base 133 perished in a helicopter accident in Owenton, Kentucky today.”
“We were informed of the accident by local law enforcement shortly after it occurred. The crew is based out of Grant County, Kentucky and were on their way to a scene to pick up a patient when the accident happened.”
Calling the incident “a terribly tragic accident,” the statement continued, “Our deepest sympathies go out to the employees’ families and friends. Our primary focus now is on supporting the families who were impacted as well as our team members. Critical incident stress management teams have been sent to assist our team members during this difficult time.”
The company added that they are not releasing the names of the crew members involved in the accident at this time.
Air Evac Lifeteam EMS helicopter on a helipad.
Alamy
“We kindly request respect for the privacy of our team members and their families in this difficult time. AEL will work closely with the FAA and NTSB during the investigation,” the statement concluded.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed they are investigating the incident in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“NTSB investigating the Oct. 7 crash of a Bell 206L-3 helicopter near Owenton, Kentucky,” the post read.
