Three killed as tourist helicopter crashes on Hawaiian island of Kauai
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- A tourist helicopter operated by Airborne Aviation crashed on Kalalau Beach, Kauai, killing three people and injuring two others who were hospitalized at Wilcox Medical Center.
- The helicopter, carrying one pilot and four passengers, crashed in a remote area on the Na Pali Coast, accessible only by hiking or boat.
- Airborne Aviation offers sightseeing tours of Kauai’s natural landmarks, including a “doors-off thrill seekers adventure tour” seating up to four passengers.
- Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami praised the coordinated response of the US Coast Guard and local emergency agencies, emphasizing the community’s spirit in treating visitors as family.
- This incident follows a similar tour helicopter crash in July 2024 on Kauai that killed three people, with the National Transportation Safety Board attributing that crash to turbulence causing rotor blade failure.
