Three people have died, and two others are injured after a helicopter crashed Thursday afternoon on a remote beach on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers when it crashed at Kalalau Beach at 3:45 pm local time, the Kauai Fire Department said.
The crash occurred around 100 yards offshore, reports CBS News.
The beach is on the Na Pali Coast on Kauai’s north shore.
Police said three people died and two others were transported to Wilcox Medical Center for treatment. All five were pulled from the water.
Officials identified the helicopter as being operated by Airborne Aviation. The company advertises “50 Minutes Doors-Off” tours on its website for $348 each. The tour is for up to four people at a time. It includes a tour of Manawaiopuna Falls, which served as the setting for a scene in “Jurassic Park.”
Helicopter tours are a popular way to explore the cliffs, beaches and waterfalls lining the Na Pali Coast, which is otherwise only accessible by hiking or boat.
There have been previous helicopter crashes in Kaua’i, in 2024 an Aloha Helicopter Tours flight broke up mid-flight due to high winds, killing three people. In 2019, seven people were killed when a helicopter failed to clear a mountain ridge in bad weather.
