Three people were killed on Thursday after two helicopters collided in the air near McMinnville Municipal Airport, southwest of Portland, Oregon.
The Associated Press quoted the US Federal Aviation Administration as saying that a Robinson R22 helicopter collided with an Airbus H125, resulting in the deaths of the three people on board.
Incident Details and Closure
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Department Chief Sam Elliott said during a press conference: "Emergency teams responded to reports of a crash several miles east of the airport, while authorities continued to deal with the aftermath of the incident."
The Oregon Department of Transportation announced the closure of a highway located about 1.6 kilometers west of Dayton, as well as several local roads, without specifying a reopening date, while the Sheriff’s Office urged civilians to stay away from the crash site.
Investigations and Cooperation
For its part, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board stated that they would conduct an investigation to determine the causes and circumstances of the collision, with the National Transportation Safety Board taking responsibility for the investigation.
Jerry Trimble Helicopters, a flight school based at the airport, stated that one of the helicopters belonged to them, confirming their cooperation with authorities to secure the site and assist in determining the cause of the accident, while expressing condolences to the victims' families and those affected.
Site Images and Background
Police-released photos showed two crashed helicopters in a field, one green and overturned, and the other red with its parts scattered across the site.
McMinnville is located about 56 kilometers southwest of Portland and has a population of approximately 34,000.
US authorities had previously announced on September 6 that at least five people were killed in a cargo plane crash involving Amazon Prime Air at Miami International Airport.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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