Three Dead, Two Injured in Kauai Helicopter Crash

Three people died and two others were injured when a tour helicopter crashed into the ocean near a remote beach on the Hawaiian island of Kauai on Thursday afternoon.

The incident occurred around 3:45 p.m. local time near Kalalau Beach along the island's northwest Na Pali Coast, according to the Kauai Police Department and Kauai Fire Department. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and four passengers, went down approximately 100 yards offshore. Officials received initial reports through the police department's text-to-911 system, prompting a multiagency response that included the U.S. Coast Guard, Kauai Emergency Management Agency, American Medical Response, and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Emergency crews faced challenges reaching the site due to the area's rugged terrain and lack of road access. Responders arrived by helicopter and boat, stabilizing the two survivors at the scene before transporting them to Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue for treatment. Their conditions were not immediately released, though hospital officials later confirmed they were receiving care as of Friday morning.

The helicopter belonged to Airborne Aviation, a local company offering...