We knew it was a news chopper, we knew we’d lost contact with our people out there, said US news channel NBC’s anchor on Tuesday, confirming the involvement of its helicopter in the crash at a Los Angeles neighbourhood during the coverage of a road mishap.
The helicopter was in the area reporting on this incident. Witness Zareh Sevanesian was driving nearby with wife Allyona when he saw the chopper’s unusual descent. “I saw the helicopter — something didn’t look right. Immediately after the crash: Fire spread to four vehicles and two storage containers.
NBC reported that the bus crash happened at 5:03 pm and that firefighters worked to free the trapped people and assess the bus passengers. More than 70 firefighters were deployed to the scene.
Just before 7pm local time: The NBC4 helicopter went down between two commercial buildings in Chatsworth, according to an LAFD spokesperson, cited by the BBC. “As we were driving I looked over to my left,” NBC quoted him as saying. And I told my wife, ‘That helicopter is not flying right.’” Sevanesian said he saw the helicopter gradually losing altitude. Then, he said, he pulled over near the crash as fire roared.
Earlier that evening: An SUV had crashed into a city bus in Chatsworth, killing two people and injuring six others.
