Close X
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canadian Teenager Dies After Pearl Harbor Helicopter Crash

The Canadian Press, 23 Feb, 2016 10:09 AM
    HONOLULU — A 16-year-old passenger died Monday after being injured last week in a Pearl Harbor helicopter crash, hospital officials said.
     
    The teen and three family members visiting from Canada were aboard a tour helicopter when it crashed into the water near the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center on Thursday.
     
    Their names have not been released.
     
    Two family members remain hospitalized in stable condition. Another was treated and released.
     
    "So that the 16-year-old's memory lives on, the family has chosen to donate his organs to patients in need," Gidget Ruscetta, chief operating officer at Pali Momi Medical Center, said in a statement.
     
    No information was available for the pilot, who was taken to another hospital.
     
    Federal agencies are investigating the crash.
     
    The boy was trapped underwater and had to be cut free from his seat, according to witnesses.
     
    Federal records show the helicopter is registered to Jeffrey Gebhard of Kailua, Hawaii. The Navy said the helicopter reportedly belongs to Genesis Aviation. The website for Genesis Helicopters says it was founded by Gebhard and conducts tours over Oahu.
     
     
     
    A call to Gebhard was not answered on Monday. A man who answered at a number listed for him last week declined comment, citing the investigation.
     
    Civilian divers floated the helicopter to the surface Friday and a crane pulled it out. The Navy said the aircraft was taken to Genesis Aviation's hangar at the airport, where the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation.
     
    It was the second major crash this year involving helicopters on Oahu.
     
    Twelve Hawaii-based Marines were killed when two military helicopters crashed during nighttime training on Jan. 14. Both aircraft were CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters that were part of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463.
     
    Shawn Winrich, visiting from Madison, Wisconsin, was taking photos of Pearl Harbor when he saw the helicopter headed toward the popular tourist destination.
     
    He switched to video, recording the helicopter's dramatic drop into the water.
     
    "All of a sudden it essentially just fell out of the sky and crash-landed in the water," he said last week.
     
    He stopped filming and jumped in to help.
     
    The Honolulu Emergency Services Department took the teen to the hospital in critical condition.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Toronto Police Seize $12 Million In Counterfeit Goods Including Blue Jays Gear

    Toronto Police Seize $12 Million In Counterfeit Goods Including Blue Jays Gear
    Toronto police say they have seized more than $12 million in counterfeit goods including Blue Jays jerseys, headphones and purses as part of an ongoing operation.

    Toronto Police Seize $12 Million In Counterfeit Goods Including Blue Jays Gear

    Winnipeg Man Pleads Guilty In Pair Of High-profile Sex Attacks, Reports Say

    Winnipeg Man Pleads Guilty In Pair Of High-profile Sex Attacks, Reports Say
    WINNIPEG — Published reports say a Winnipeg man has pleaded guilty to a pair of violent sexual assaults, including one on a teen who became a spokeswoman for the plight of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

    Winnipeg Man Pleads Guilty In Pair Of High-profile Sex Attacks, Reports Say

    Superior Court Grants Injunction That Will Postpone Quebec's Assisted Dying Law

    Superior Court Grants Injunction That Will Postpone Quebec's Assisted Dying Law
    Quebec Superior Court has granted an injunction that will postpone the implementation of a provincial law on assisted dying until at least February.

    Superior Court Grants Injunction That Will Postpone Quebec's Assisted Dying Law

    Nanaimo Pot Shops Face RCMP Crackdown As Three Dispensaries Raided

    Nanaimo Pot Shops Face RCMP Crackdown As Three Dispensaries Raided
    The warrants were served nearly three weeks after cease-and-desist letters were handed to the operators of 10 dispensaries, giving them seven days to close their doors or face possible charges.

    Nanaimo Pot Shops Face RCMP Crackdown As Three Dispensaries Raided

    Suspected Dog Poisonings Prompt Investigations By Two Ontario Police Forces

    Suspected Dog Poisonings Prompt Investigations By Two Ontario Police Forces
    TORONTO — Two Ontario police forces say they're investigating what they suspect to be deliberate attempts to poison dogs.

    Suspected Dog Poisonings Prompt Investigations By Two Ontario Police Forces

    Ontario Will Not Allow Any Community Outside Toronto To Have A Land Transfer Tax

    Ontario Will Not Allow Any Community Outside Toronto To Have A Land Transfer Tax
    TORONTO — The 444 municipalities across Ontario will not be given the same power as the city of Toronto to impose a land transfer tax.

    Ontario Will Not Allow Any Community Outside Toronto To Have A Land Transfer Tax