Photo Credit: Kevin M. Smith
Four people were killed when a St. Joseph-based LifeNet medical helicopter crashed near Kearney tonight.
Lt. Shauna Craven with the Clay County Sheriff’s office confirmed that three males, including the pilot and two medical personnel, and a 58 year-old female patient were killed in the crash.
Craven said the helicopter was on its way from St. Joseph to Liberty Hospital.
Kearney Fire Chief Larry Pratt said the crash occurred near 144th and Cameron Road, just east of Kearney and north of Clay County's Midwest National Air Center.
Sources say law enforcement and other agencies were called in to search for the helicopter at about 7 p.m. after dispatchers lost contact with the aircraft.
Clay County Eastern Commissioner Katee Porter said that the helicopter had been in contact with the airport shortly before the crash.
There was no official indication of what caused the crash, but sources say the helicopter had reported being low on fuel and may have been heading to the airport to refuel.
“They didn’t come straight down,” Craven said. “They were doing some kind of landing. It’s a mangled mess.”
Craven said the scene is being preserved until officials from the National Transportation Safety Board arrive. “Until that happens, nothing moves,” she said.
Sheriff’s deputies have closed 144th Street between Cameron Road and School Field Road until further notice.
A medical examiner was also on the scene.
The St. Joseph News-Press confirmed with a source from Air Methods, the company that owns and operates LifeNet, that the crash involved a team from St. Joseph. The company's leadership, based out of Englewood, Colo., is en route to St. Joseph to provide more information, but won't be here until midnight or later, the source said.
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