Pilot rescued after helicopter crashes into water near Key Biscayne
KEY BISCAYNE — A person was rescued after a helicopter crashed into the water near Key Biscayne on Saturday afternoon.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Robinson R-44 helicopter went down around 1:50 p.m. after the pilot reported engine issues. Only the pilot was on board and rescued from the aircraft by officials from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC), the U.S. Coast Guard told CBS News Miami.
The pilot was transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a local hospital in unknown condition.
The U.S. Coast Guard added they initially responded to the crash but since the accident was too close to the shore, they had to rely on FWC for the rescue, which they witnessed during their regular water patrol in Biscayne Bay.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.