Five people have been hospitalized after a helicopter crashed in the Southern California city of Huntington Beach, officials said.
Shocking footage shows the moment the aircraft suddenly loses control midair and begins spiraling, eventually losing altitude and slamming into a row of palms as stunned sunbathers and beachgoers look on.
Several videos circulating online show the helicopter plunging towards the edge of the beach, before becoming wedged between palm trees and the staircase of a pedestrian bridge that runs over the Pacific Coast Highway to a nearby beach resort, CBS reports.
The Huntington Beach Fire Department told The Associated Press those hospitalized include two people on board the helicopter, who were “safely pulled from the wreckage,” as well as three others on the street.
CBS reports that a child is among the injured. The nature of the injuries is still unknown.
The incident took place around 2 p.m. PT Saturday, and the helicopter was still wedged between the staircase and palm trees over two hours later, despite a heavy police presence and road closures.
Huntington Beach Fire Department told AP that the helicopter was associated associated with an annual “Cars ‘N Copters” fundraising event planned for Sunday.
There were reportedly several other helicopters in a car park close to where the crash happened. According to CBS, an “exclusive helicopter landing party” was being hosted at the nearby Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge on Saturday afternoon, where attendees were invited to “watch helicopters arrive from a bird’s eye view” ahead of the charity event.
The cause of the crash is still unclear.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified of the crash, city officials told CBS.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
