6 killed as helicopters collide
2008-06-30 07:32
Los Angeles - Six people were killed and one critically injured on Sunday when two medical helicopters collided mid-air over Flagstaff, Arizona, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said.
Both helicopters were headed to the hospital when they collided, spokesperson Ian Gregor said.
Three of those killed were aboard a Bell 407 operated by a company called Air Methods. At least one of those killed was a patient.
The other three fatalities were aboard the same type of chopper, operated by a company called Classic Helicopter Service of Utah. Another person on board was critically injured.
The FAA earlier said that seven people were killed and three injured.
No one on the ground was killed, Gregor said.
The crash of the two choppers triggered a wildfire in a heavily wooded area that was swiftly brought under control, a Flagstaff Fire Department spokesperson said.
FAA inspectors were heading to the scene of the accident, which occurred at 10:45 GMT, Gregor said.
"I certainly wouldn't want to speculate on what would have caused this," he said.
- AFP