Helicopter crash in Biscayne Bay kills one, injures two

A helicopter crashed into the water in the Biscayne Bay on Wednesday, resulting in one death and two injuries, according to preliminary reports from local authorities. The accident occurred in the area known as No Name Harbor, located near Bill Baggs Florida State Park on Key Biscayne.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that a Robinson R44 helicopter went down at approximately 11:15 a.m. The FAA stated that three people were on board the aircraft when it struck the water. The agency and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the cause of the crash.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the scene at 11:26 a.m. alongside the fire departments of Miami and Key Biscayne in a mutual aid response. Officials reported a total of three patients involved in the incident. Two adult patients were treated with a trauma alert and transported by rescue units from Miami and Key Biscayne to a designated landing zone. From there, an MDFR helicopter moved them to a regional trauma center.

The status of the third patient remains under assessment. Aerial footage captured by Telemundo 51 showed a body covered by a yellow tarp on the scene, which authorities identified as the victim. The visual evidence aligned with the preliminary report of one fatality among the three individuals on board.

Rescue teams coordinated their efforts around the No Name Harbor area to retrieve the passengers and stabilize the survivors. The presence of multiple emergency agencies reflected the scale of the response required in the open water environment. The crash site was located east of the Miami Executive Airport, a busy corridor for private and commercial aviation in the county.

Investigators from the FAA and the NTSB have begun their work to determine what led to the helicopter losing control and impacting the bay. The agencies are reviewing flight data and speaking with witnesses and rescue personnel to reconstruct the events leading up to the 11:15 a.m. crash. The two surviving passengers were transported to a trauma center for further medical evaluation following their extraction from the water.