Horrifying moment helicopter plunges into water at Pearl Harbor in front of tourists

Laura Proto19 February 2016

This is the horrifying moment a helicopter with five people on board plunged into the sea in Pearl Harbor in front of a group of shocked tourists.

A 16-year-old is said to be in a critical condition after the crash and two other passengers – a 45-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man – were taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Details on the conditions of two other people on board, including the pilot, were not immediately available.

Shawn Winrich was taking photos of Pearl Harbor when he saw the Bell 206 aircraft “essentially coming straight at us” and switch is camera to record video.

He said: “I thought it would be a great video, whatever it is, and all of a sudden it essentially just fell out of the sky and crash-landed in the water.”

Horrified: The incident happened in front of watching tourists
YouTube

Mr Winrich’s daughter, Justice, said initially the helicopter looked like it was normal as it was not “shaking or anything”.

But she added as it got closer to the water, she saw something dark coming from the back of the helicopter and it began shaking.

She said: "I was like, oh my God, I can't believe this just happened. It was crazy.

“You go on vacation and you never think you're going to see something like that.”

Passengers: A 16-year-old is in a critical condition while two other people are stable
YouTube

It is thought the helicopter was showing people around Hawaii when it suddenly crashed into the water just 20 feet from the shoreline.

Shayne Enright, from Honolulu Emergency Services Department, said bystanders jumped into the water to help rescue the passengers and pilot.

Chris Gardner, a tour guide with Keawe Adventures, was with a group of tourists at the Pearl Harbor visitor centre when he heard the crash and immediately jumped in to help.

Plunged: The helicopter sank into the water off Pearl Harbor
YouTube

He said along with a Navy sailor, a federal police officer and another man, the group took turns diving to the submerged helicopter and trying to free a passenger with a knife.

All five people were rescued from the stricken aircraft

Federal Aviation Administration investigators were reportedly on their way to visit the crash site and a National Transportation Safety Board investigator was expected to arrive on Friday.

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