AZUSA, CALIFORNIA (AP) – Six people were injured on Saturday afternoon after a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department helicopter crashed in the Angeles National Forest, the LA County Fire Department said.
All six passengers were airlifted to Pomona Valley Medical Center, Sheriff Alex Villanueva told The Los Angeles Times. One of the passengers is in critical condition, two are in moderate condition and two others have minor injuries, he said.
The Times reported that five of the passengers on the Air Rescue 5 helicopter were deputies with the Sheriff’s Department, and the sixth was a doctor from UCLA. The passengers suffered a variety of injuries, including fractures and broken ribs.
“They are in stable condition, some more banged up than others, but thankful to be alive,” Villanueva told the Times. The fact that there were no fatalities “is nothing short of a miracle”.
The crash occurred at 4.58pm near the San Gabriel Reservoir.