A sightseeing company’s helicopter crashed near a remote beach off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing three people and injuring two others, authorities said. It was the latest in a series of fatal crashes that has plagued the industry for decades.
The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers when it crashed Thursday afternoon just off Kalalau Beach, the Kauai Fire Department said. The beach is on the Na Pali Coast on Kauai’s North Shore, an area that is otherwise reachable only by hiking or boat. The area’s geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can contribute to turbulent air and quick weather changes that pose hazards for aviation.
Kauai Police Chief Rudy Tai said two of the people who died were Margaret Rimmler, 65, and Patrick Haskell, 59, both of Massachusetts. Notification of next of kin is pending for the third, he said. He declined to provide details on survivors’ conditions…