In brief
A medical helicopter from REACH Air Medical crashed on Highway 50 in Sacramento shortly after transporting a patient, resulting in three crew members being critically injured. Motorists assisted in rescuing one woman who was trapped under the helicopter. Fortunately, no one on the highway was hurt in the incident, which left a significant debris field. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
A medical helicopter crashed on a highway in Sacramento, critically injuring three people aboard, including a woman who was pinned underneath and was rescued with the assistance of motorists who lifted part of the aircraft. The incident occurred just after 7 p.m. on Monday, shortly after the helicopter had transported a patient to a hospital and was heading back to its base. According to Captain Justin Sylvia from the Sacramento Fire Department, the aircraft appeared to have crashed upside-down and created a large debris field.The pilot, nurse, and paramedic onboard were taken to local hospitals, all in critical condition, while no injuries were reported among motorists on the busy highway—a fact described as mind blowing by officials. Eyewitnesses mentioned that traffic slowed down as the helicopter descended rapidly. Fire department personnel collaborated with bystanders to rescue a woman trapped beneath the wreckage, requiring significant effort to lift the aircraft just enough for her to be freed.Captain Sylvia noted that it took about 15 people to successfully move the helicopter off the woman, highlighting the teamwork involved in the rescue. The crash caused the closure of eastbound lanes on Highway 50, with further investigation ongoing to determine the cause of the incident. Fortunately, the helicopter did not catch fire, and REACH Air Medical expressed their thoughts and prayers for those impacted by the crash, pledging to assess the situation further.
