Deadly Medical Helicopter Crash Near Avalon and Catalina Island
Two Dead, Two Injured, U.S. Coast Guard Searches for Missing Woman
AVALON, Calif. (Oct. 1, 2026) – A male helicopter pilot and female nurse were killed, two injured, and a third is missing off the coast of Catalina Island after a REACH Air Medical Services helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday night near Avalon.
UPDATE: Catalina Hernandez, 45, a mother of three and a housekeeper on the island, was located Thursday by divers following the crash. The woman’s 20-year-old son was one of two survivors.
The deadly Airbus H-135 medical helicopter crash occurred just after takeoff around 7:46 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30th, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The medical helicopter left Catalina’s Pebbly Beach heliport and reached about 175 feet before it descended and lost its signal roughly 8 seconds after takeoff.
The helicopter began its journey at the Oceanside Fire Department helipad in San Diego County around 6:40 p.m. The crew picked up a female patient on the island and she was loaded onto the helicopter, strapped to a gurney.
A total of five people were aboard the Eurocopter EC135 P2 helicopter when it went down due to unknown circumstances. Two were confirmed dead after they were pulled from the ocean following the incident. The U.S. Coast Guard has crews out searching for the fifth person, who may have been the female patient who was being transported aboard the helicopter. A Coast Guard submersible watercraft and a 45-foot boat were deployed overnight to search the area.
Meanwhile, two survivors, including a male medic and a 20-year-old, were airlifted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in unknown condition. The young man was treated for broken bones and was the son of the female patient who was airlifted due to an allergic reaction to some shrimp she ate that night.
“Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and colleagues affected by this tragedy,” REACH Air Medical Services company said in its statement. “We are focused on supporting our team and everyone impacted during this incredibly difficult time.”
Finally, the cause of the collision is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the Coast Guard.
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