Medical helicopter feared crashed in California

The SkyLife crew killed in a medical helicopter crash Thursday night has been identified.

According to Central California EMS Director Dan Lynch, the crew were employee of medical transport service SkyLife, which is jointly owned by Rogers Helicopters and American Ambulance. His team will take the wreckage to Sacramento for a long-term investigation, he said.

The SkyLife air ambulance, which was carrying the patient from Porterville Municipal Airport to the San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield, was reported missing Thursday evening.

A pilot, nurse, paramedic, and one patient were on the flight, he added. The name of the patient has not been released.

Valeri says when the dispatch center failed to make contact with the helicopter, it immediately contacted the airport towers in Fresno and Bakersfield.

Valeri said weather conditions are always a factor in such flights, but the crew would have checked the weather before lifting off.

Todd Valeri, president and CEO of American Ambulance and Skylight, said that the crash was tragic.

Kern County Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department lost air support due to fog, and rescue personnel couldn’t get to the debris field until 10 p.m. But it was unable reach the aircraft, Lynch said. This was the first fatal incident since the company was founded in 1991, they also said.