We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, said US news channel NBC's anchor on Tuesday, confirming the involvement of its helicopter in the crash at a Los Angeles neighbourhood during the coverage of a road mishap.
According to NBC anchor, anchor Colleen Williams, the helicopter - identified as ‘NewsChopper’ by her - “went down just before 7 o’clock” in Chatsworth on Tuesday, while it was covering a bus collision.
The helicopter crash killed the photojournalist and pilot on board along with one person on the ground, NBC reported, quoting the station and officials.
Timeline of the chopper crash
Before 7pm local time: NBC Los Angeles' NewsChopper4, which also operated for Telemundo 52, was flying in the Chatsworth area while covering a deadly bus crash. Several news helicopters were reportedly in the area. The chopper was operated by Angel City Air.
Earlier that evening: An SUV had crashed into a city bus in Chatsworth, killing two people and injuring six others. The helicopter was in the area reporting on this incident. NBC reported that the bus crash happened at 5:03 pm and that firefighters worked to free the trapped people and assess the bus passengers.
Just before 7pm local time: The NBC4 helicopter went down between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth, according to an LAFD spokesperson, cited by the BBC. Witness Zareh Sevanesian was driving nearby with wife Allyona when he saw the chopper’s unusual descent. “As we were driving I looked over to my left,” NBC quoted him as saying. “I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right. And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’” Sevanesian said he saw the helicopter gradually losing altitude. Then, he said, he pulled over near the crash as fire roared.
{{/usCountry}}Just before 7pm local time: The NBC4 helicopter went down between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth, according to an LAFD spokesperson, cited by the BBC. Witness Zareh Sevanesian was driving nearby with wife Allyona when he saw the chopper’s unusual descent. “As we were driving I looked over to my left,” NBC quoted him as saying. “I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right. And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’” Sevanesian said he saw the helicopter gradually losing altitude. Then, he said, he pulled over near the crash as fire roared.
{{/usCountry}}Immediately after the crash: Fire spread to four vehicles and two storage containers. More than 70 firefighters were deployed to the scene.
After the crash: LAFD responders found a person who appeared to have been on the ground among the victims. LAFD Captain Branden Silverman said this person was declared dead at the scene.
During NBC4's live coverage: Veteran anchor Colleen Williams confirmed that the crashed aircraft was the station's helicopter, saying the newsroom had known it was a news helicopter and had lost contact with its crew.
“We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received the confirmation that, in fact, NewsChopper 4 went down just before 7 o’clock tonight in Chatsworth,” anchor Colleen Williams said.
“We’re going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup,” Williams added, her voice becoming emotional.
Later: NBC Los Angeles confirmed that photojournalist Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw were among the three people killed. The identity of the third person was not given in the report.
Who was Eliana Moreno
Moreno, born in Orange County, joined the Angel City Air helicopter team in 2010, the same year she earned a broadcast journalism and political science degree from Chapman University, NBC said.
She reported for several Southern California news outlets and began flying with Marciniw in 2023, the NBC4 website said.
Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.
“Losing five Angelenos is very painful,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “And I know this community of Chatsworth, hit hard, will be grieving for some time.”
Angel City Air, which describes itself as “a full-service aerial production company,” did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.