A tragic mid-air collision between two firefighting helicopters in southern California resulted in three deaths on Sunday.
While one chopper managed to land safely post-collision, the other tragically crashed, taking the lives of two firefighters and a pilot. They were battling a fire in Cabazon, 90 miles from Los Angeles.
According to CNN, the helicopters were among six aircraft attending to a structure fire that spread to surrounding vegetation.
The crash ignited an additional four-acre fire, which was later put out.
Cal Fire’s Southern Region Chief, David Fulcher, mourned the loss on Monday, stating three invaluable lives were lost: a Cal Fire Division chief, a captain, and a contract pilot.
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Fulcher said, “While this is heartbreaking, we’re also grateful the incident didn’t have a higher toll. The crew of the first chopper landed without any harm.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently probing the crash.”