Calif. helicopter crash: 1 officer dead, another injured

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Authorities were investigating Sunday the cause of a police helicopter crash off the Southern California coast that left one officer dead and another hospitalized with critical injuries.

The Huntington Beach officers were responding to a disturbance in the neighboring city of Newport Beach around 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the helicopter hit a narrow strip of water between Lido Isle and the Balboa Peninsula. Witnesses said boaters who saw the helicopter go down rushed to the wreckage to pull the officers out.

Nicholas Vella, 44, a 14-year veteran with the police department, died in the crash, Police Chief Eric Parra said at a Saturday night news conference. He leaves behind a wife and daughter.

Vella “was truly dedicated to his job and was doing what he loved doing,” the chief said.

“This is a difficult night for all of us and I would ask for your prayers and support as we support our officers’ families.”

The second officer, who is a 16-year veteran with the department, was taken to the hospital in critical condition “but he is feeling OK,” Parra said. It wasn’t immediately clear who was the pilot.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the crash.

A witness told KCAL-TV he saw the helicopter struggling moments before the crash.

“We were driving over here and we heard the pitch of the helicopter and it sounded like the helicopter was in distress,” said the witness who spoke to the station on condition of anonymity. “When we looked at the helicopter it was out of control. It was obvious the helicopter was gonna go down. It did go down, and almost immediately sunk.”

On Saturday, a different helicopter crashed into the ocean on Miami Beach’s South Beach in front of swimmers and onlookers, according to authorities.

Police said two passengers were inside the helicopter and were transported to the hospital in stable condition.