Three British tourists are dead, and a further four people are being treated for serious burns and other injuries, following a helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon.
The survivors had to wait for eight hours before they were rescued and airlifted out of the West Rim of the canyon. Rescue teams hiked through rugged terrain using night-vision goggles to reach the crash scene, and then had to wait for 50mph winds to subside, according to the Arizona Republic website.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The three people killed were Becky Dobson, 27, Jason Hill, 32, and Stuart Hill, 30.
The relationship of those on board was not immediately known, nor what caused the Eurocopter EC130 to crash.
The helicopter operator, Papillion Airways, has been involved in at least three other deadly incidents in the past 20 years, says Arizona Republic.
Witness Teddy Fujimoto told CNN affiliate KSNV that he was taking photographs when he saw the aftermath of Saturday’s crash, including an explosion and two women who ran screaming from the burning aircraft.
Another witness, Lionel Douglass, told ABC News that he saw the helicopter doing two complete circles “as if the pilot was searching for a spot to set the aircraft down” before it plummeted. “It fell down between the mountains, the tail broke in half, it hit the bottom,” Douglass said.
Thousands of helicopters fly over the Canyon each year, competing for business in the same limited space.
Papillon is cooperating with the US National Transportation Safety Board and authorities, and offered “heartfelt sympathy” to the families, ABC News reports.
-
Quiz of The Week: 22 – 28 NovemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures Ready for lift-off, the odd one out, and more
-
The Week Unwrapped: Have pedigree dogs had their day?Podcast Plus what can we learn from Slovenia’s rejection of assisted dying? And can politicians admit their weaknesses?
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
