First responders have discovered the wreckage of a tour helicopter a day after it disappeared in Hawaii and the bodies of six of the seven people on board.
The pilot last made contact with authorities around 4:40 p.m. on Thursday to report that the group was leaving the Waimea Canyon area of Kaua’i, the state’s fourth-largest island. The disappearance prompted a flurry of rescue teams to scour the area around the island. In addition to the Coast Guard, Navy, Civil Air Patrol, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Kauai National Guard were all involved in the search.
Wreckage of the aircraft was first discovered Friday in Nu’alolo, a mountainous area on the island’s east coast, according to Hawaii News Now. Authorities said in a Friday press conference that six bodies have been recovered from the wreckage and they are searching for the seventh.
In addition to the pilot, there were six passengers on board, including two children. The names of those on the helicopter have not yet been released.
The aircraft was equipped with an electronic tracker, but no signals were received from it once the helicopter disappeared. Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Cox of the Coast Guard said that the weather conditions of the area made search efforts “challenging.”
Hawaii Gov. David Ige said in a statement Friday that, “We are currently coordinating with federal and local agencies and are ready to deploy state resources as needed to help in the search effort.”
Regarding the missing tour helicopter:
We are currently coordinating with federal and local agencies and are ready to deploy state resources as needed to help in the search effort. pic.twitter.com/IEe0NjeAwV
— Governor David Ige (@GovHawaii) December 27, 2019
