Photo: Cappi Thompson / Moment / Getty Images
A tragic incident unfolded in South Jersey, where a news helicopter crash claimed the lives of a pilot and a photographer. The helicopter, originating from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, was destined for an assignment on the Jersey Shore. However, it tragically went down in the Pine Barrens in Burlington County on a Tuesday evening.
The helicopter, known as Chopper 6, was last spotted in the air over Wharton State Park. It took considerable time for New Jersey State troopers to locate the crash site due to its location in a hard-to-access wooded area.
Investigations are currently underway by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to establish the circumstances that led to the crash and prevent such incidents from reoccurring in the future.
The helicopter involved was a Eurocopter AS 350B2 Squirrel manufactured in 2013 and owned by US Helicopters out of Marshville, North Carolina. The craft was operated for WPVI-TV, the local ABC affiliate based in Philadelphia.
Condolences were expressed by the television station on social media, acknowledging the loss of two dedicated individuals who served their community by bringing news to people in South Jersey and the greater Philadelphia region every day.