Helicopter crashes at the Grand Canyon, killing three
(Julie Jacobson | Associated Press file photo) In this Oct. 5, 2013, file photo, the Grand Canyon National Park is covered in the morning sunlight as seen from a helicopter near Tusayan, Ariz. Police on Saturday said a helicopter has crashed at the Grand Canyon, killing three people.
Grand Canyon National Park • Police say a helicopter has crashed at the Grand Canyon, killing three people.
Hualapai Nation Police Chief Francis Bradley said six passengers and a pilot were on board the Papillion helicopter when it crashed around 5:20 p.m. The other four were injured and were still being treated at the scene.
An after-hours phone call to aerial tour company Papillion was not immediately returned Saturday. The company’s website says it flies roughly 600,000 passengers a year on Grand Canyon and other tours.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer said the Eurocopter EC130 crashed in unknown circumstances and sustained heavy damage.
Federal authorities will investigate.
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