Helicopter on Doors-Off Tour Crashes Into Ocean in Hawaii, Killing 3

Three people were killed Thursday in a helicopter crash at Kalalau Beach on Kauai, Hawaii … multiple agencies report the chopper crashed into the ocean near the beach around 3:45 PM.

Officials say the helicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation — a doors-off thrill-seeker helicopter tour company — according to the Kauai Police Department.

Officials say 4 passengers and 1 pilot were on board … and the 2 survivors were taken to Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue.

U.S. Coast Guard Commander Andrew Williams said … “We are greatly saddened by the loss of three lives in this helicopter crash and thinking of those individuals’ families and friends. We are also keeping the survivors in our thoughts as they begin their recovery. We remain grateful for close coordination with our partner agencies throughout this tragic incident.”

Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami told KHON2 News … “Kalalau is very, very isolated. It’s very tricky to get down into.”

Kawakami praised the “phenomenal” coordination of the responding agencies saying … “We have some of the very best. They’re trained for this.”