SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A medical helicopter that had just picked up an injured skier crashed in a snowstorm on the way to the hospital, killing all four people aboard.
Searchers found the heavily damaged helicopter early this morning in Little Cottonwood Canyon, about 18 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.
“It’s a very sad and tragic day for university hospital and the state of Utah,” said John Dwan, spokesman for the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. “Three individuals dedicated to helping other people and saving lives, lost theirs.”
The center helicopter took off from Snowbird Ski Resort on Sunday night. A snowstorm blew in as it was going to retrieve a backcountry skier injured in an avalanche.
Found dead at the crash site were pilot Stan Berg, paramedic Tim Hynes, nurse Shayne Carnahan and David Anderson, the injured skier.
After Anderson was picked up, search and rescue crews saw the helicopter hovering overhead and believed it was going to land, according to television station KUTV. Then it suddenly rose, veered to the right and disappeared.
The canyon was closed early yesterday because of the avalanche and following the overnight snowstorm, which dropped about 1 foot of new snow.