2 Dead, 2 Injured, 1 Missing After Helicopter Crashes Off Catalina Island

Two dead, two injured, and one missing after a helicopter crash near Catalina Island. Rescue efforts ongoing.

October 1, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, United States — A medical helicopter crashed into the ocean off the coast of Catalina Island on Wednesday night, leaving two people dead, two hospitalized, and one missing, according to officials.

Emergency responders were dispatched shortly after 7:50 p.m. following reports of the incident. The Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed that five individuals were aboard the flight, with two losing their lives at the scene and two others taken to local hospitals for treatment.

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The missing individual was still unaccounted for as of 9:40 p.m., with the Coast Guard continuing search operations through the night. The National Transportation Safety Board has announced it will investigate the crash, which involved a Eurocopter EC 135 P2 operated by Reach Air Medical Services. Flight data indicated the aircraft had departed from Oceanside in San Diego County at 6:40 p.m. and arrived on Catalina Island at 7:04 p.m.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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