World News | Report: 2 dead, 1 injured in Alabama medical helicopter crash

BIRMINGHAM (United States), April 3 (AP) – A medical helicopter was responding to a call to airlift a hiker who was struggling to breathe when it crashed Sunday southeast of Birmingham, Ala., authorities said. Two crew members died and a third was taken to hospital. .

The Eurocopter EC130 crashed near the Shelby County community of Chelsea with three crew members on board, the FAA said in an email to The Associated Press.

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Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Director Clay Hammack told news outlet al.com that the crashed plane was a medical helicopter dispatched to evacuate a hiker suffering from breathing difficulties and chest pains.

Deputies had set up a landing zone for the helicopter, he added.

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A deputy reportedly called 911 to report the crash and said one of the three crew members was pronounced dead at the scene. It added that two others were taken to hospital and one was pronounced dead.

The condition of the third crew member was not immediately available.

The hiker was transported separately and made it to hospital safely, according to Hama. The condition of the hikers is also unknown.

“Our representatives did their best to provide assistance,” Hammack said. “The helicopter is on fire.”

Emergency crews reportedly spent hours at the scene of the charred wreckage, and law enforcement plans to secure the scene overnight while the investigation continues.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a tweeted statement that it would lead an investigation into the crash with the assistance of the FAA. The agencies have no preliminary information on possible causes.

Chelsea is approximately 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Birmingham city centre. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)