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ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this image taken from video provided by Shawn Winrich, a helicopter crashes in Pearl Harbor near the USS Arizona Memorial visitors center on Thursday.
The 16-year-old boy critically injured in Thursday’s helicopter crash off the USS Arizona Memorial visitor center was pronounced dead today, the Pali Momi Medical Center said in a news release.
Two family members, a 50-year-old man and 45-year-old woman, remain in stable condition at Pali Momi, the hospital said. Another family member was treated at an area hospital and released Thursday.
A hospital spokeswoman said the announcement was made “with a heavy heart.”
“So that the 16-year-old’s memory lives on, the family has chosen to donate his organs to patients in need,” the hospital spokeswoman said.
No additional information regarding the family’s medical condition will be released at this time, the news release added.
Five people, a family of four from Canada and the pilot, were injured when the Bell 206B Jetranger helicopter, owned by tour company Genesis Aviation, crashed at about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, just offshore of the USS Arizona Memorial visitors center.
Rescuers said they had to cut the seat belt strapping the boy into the helicopter before they could free him from the submerged helicopter.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
On Friday, hospital spokeswoman Kristen Bonilla said the teen was actually 15, but on Monday, she said she was mistaken and he was 16.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
I am saddened. My heartfelt condolences to the family. May God Bless.
What a hideous tragedy. May God be with the family.
I can’t even imagine how they feel. This is beyond sad.
Prayers of peace and comfort to this family. This is so tragic.
Rest in peace. Prayers to the family.
Heartbreaking … May God bless you and your family
Such a tragedy; the loss of a young man with his whole life ahead of him. Condolences to the family.
We are truly sorry for your loss. me ka pule a me ka aloha menemene (in prayer and sympathy)
I am glad I always carry a pocket knife.
Raccoon. I used to until the Federal Building and the airport turned me away. I just carry a kids’ scissor now.
Really not something you can always do. The parents were probably in no condition to help and many people did try to jump into the water with something to cut his belt off. The landed would have been ok on the water if the floats were on it. An investment that would have avoided this tragedy.
Floats may not have made any difference in this accident. Weighing around 3,000 lbs with all passengers and fuel load, as fast as the aircraft dropped it likely would have blown off the floats in a heartbeat on impact with the water.
Hitting the water with skids actually cushioned the impact versus landing on a hard surface. Exactly what the floats would have done on impact with the water. All that downward force has to go somewhere.
Thanks
I’m curious to know why the rescuers could not unbuckle the seat belt for a faster escape?
Prayers for the family. So deeply sorry, what a tragedy.
What’s the status of the pilot?
DAMN. I was hoping and praying he would pull through. Heartbreaking loss of life.
In the event of a crash the last thing you do as the pilot is talk to Air Traffic Control and that’s exactly what he did. He was suppose to inform his passengers what to do in a crash landing. I would think he would tell them when we hit to unbuckle your seatbelt, get out of the helicopter and inflate your PDF. I wonder if any of that was mentioned before the crash. It’s too bad.
When I used to spend a lot of time in Police 1, the pilot would always do the emergency briefing before we left the ground. Every time.
It’s like listening to the staff on the plane, you never think it’s really going to happen and maybe they just panicked.
At my age I have a difficult time remembering anything, especially when I’m falling.
I am sure there will be a complete investigation.
Having worked on and flown in military helicopters, part of the standard briefing is to never leave the aircraft until the blades stop turning. Stay in the cabin and you have some safety. Leave when the blades are turning and you could be hit by them or pieces as they destruct with the ground/water.
I’ve flown on Hawaii tourism helicopters over the years. Pilots covered this, showed where the fire extinguisher and first aid kit were located, what to do in case of a crash. Have to say when hovering next to Mt. Wai’ale’ale, under the cloud cover and admiring the waterfalls was awesome. However, looking down at the rocks below was scary. Had the engine failed, we were going down hard.
So sad to hear of his passing at such a young age.
So much life was ahead of him. Rest In Peace, my friend.
Typically management only focusing on maximum profits. How about investing in the safety equipment side for the consumer’s benefit.
So very sorry. A vacation in Hawaii is not supposed to end this way. My condolences.
soo sorry for their loss… deepest condolences and blessings go out the family and loved ones.
gosh, so tragic 🙁
We prayed for this young man from the onset, I am so saddened by this news. May God bless this family and comfort them in their grief.
In the future, there will probably be a settlement for the family affected (not that it will ever replace the young man lost-had a painfully similar thing happen to our family). Given the video and recovery of the helicopter, the NTSB and the FAA will eventually get to the bottom of this whether it was possibly due to integrity of the parts, maintenance, pilot performance issues, or maybe all three. Also unfortunately, there is a chance this company will go out of business as the may become uninsurable even if they are found not at fault.
May God be with your family in this hour of pain.So sorry for your loss.
Condolences to the family.
This is so sad. My deepest condolences to his ohana.
What a generous and loving gesture for this family to choose organ donation. Our family has been blessed by someone who made a similar choice several years ago and we are extremely grateful.
So sorry to hear this. Condolences to his family.
Very sad news. Condolences to his family.
Poor kid. Aloha to his family.
The State innundates us with rules and regulations, yet a death happens. We wonder if our government is governing us the right way.
I am saddened to hear this horrifying news, My prayer’s go out to the family, My prayers were not answered this time, I was really praying for his recovery. May he rest in peace my Condolence to his family.
My deepest ALOHA to his ohana. Hope the other passengers and the pilot fully recover soon.
I was hoping and praying that this young man would pull through. I am so deeply saddened by the news. Our deepest sympathy to the family and prayers for your strength to get through this horrible tragedy.
God speed!
Bless them for donating his organs.
My condolences to his family.
We were all pulling for this kid to make it…this is heartbreaking. My warmest condolences to his family. I also want to express gratitude to them for being selfless enough in their time of grief to donate their son’s organs so that others may live. A very generous move that will positively affect several other lives, and will allow their son to live on. Aloha to you all.