4 killed in helicopter crash responding to wildfires in New Mexico
Jul 18, 2022, 11:59 AM | Updated: 4:00 pm
(CNN, Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM)
(CNN, Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM)
(CNN) — Four people were killed when a sheriff’s office helicopter crashed in New Mexico Saturday, officials said.
Three employees with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and one worker with the county’s fire department were killed in the crash near Las Vegas, New Mexico, the sheriff’s office said on social media.
There were no known survivors, officials added, noting the information is preliminary.
“These personnel were headed back to Albuquerque after assisting fire crews with the East Mesa Fire,” the sheriff’s office said.
The National Transportation Safety Board told CNN it is investigating the crash. New Mexico State Police said the Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham responded Sunday to the death of the first responders, extending her deepest sympathy to their families on behalf of the people of New Mexico.
“These were dedicated public servants doing what first responders do day in and day out: working tirelessly for their fellow New Mexicans,” the governor said on Twitter.
State resources will be available to assist the ongoing investigation, she said.
The-CNN-Wire
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