Tragedy Strikes Telemundo and NBC as News Helicopter Crashes in Los Angeles Claiming Three Lives

Television networks Telemundo and NBC are mourning the loss of a journalist and a helicopter pilot following a devastating crash on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, California. The incident occurred while they were covering a fatal traffic accident.

The NewsChopper 4, which serves both NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, crashed in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley. This tragic event claimed the lives of three individuals: aerial reporter Eliana Moreno, pilot George Marciniw, and a pedestrian who was on the ground during the impact.

The helicopter, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 operated by Angel City Air and hired by NBC4 for news coverage, went down in a parking lot on Mason Avenue shortly before 7:00 pm. The crash ignited a fire that spread to nearby parked vehicles.

Fire Battalion Chief Rico A. Gross confirmed in a press briefing that three people died at the scene, while two others were transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office identified the deceased pedestrian as Edy Gutiérrez Mejía, aged 29, on Wednesday.

NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams delivered the grim news live on air, her voice filled with emotion: "We knew it was a news helicopter, we knew we had lost contact with our team there, and we have just received confirmation that, indeed, NewsChopper 4 went down shortly before 7 pm tonight in Chatsworth."

In a joint statement, NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 expressed their sorrow: "We are deeply saddened to report that a helicopter conducting aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday night."

Telemundo 52 paid tribute on social media to their two fallen colleagues: "Tonight we mourn. Tonight our hearts are broken. We lost two great colleagues."

Eliana Moreno, originally from Orange County, graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. She joined Angel City Air that same year.

Over nearly a decade, she worked for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, reporting in both English and Spanish on events ranging from police chases to wildfires. Her colleagues praised her as "undoubtedly the best helicopter reporter in all of Los Angeles." On a personal note, she was engaged, had a dog, and aspired to run a mile despite having asthma.

George Marciniw, who grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, was a highly respected pilot in the industry; his nickname at Telemundo was "Jorge."

The helicopter was covering an earlier collision involving an LA Metro bus and a private vehicle on Nordhoff Street, which had already resulted in at least two deaths and six injuries.

Witness Zareh Sevanesian, driving nearby with his wife, noticed something unusual about the aircraft moments before the crash: "I saw the helicopter; something didn’t seem right. And I told my wife, 'That helicopter is not flying well.'" Sevanesian described the ensuing fire as "one of the most violent" he had ever witnessed.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass visited the site that evening, describing it as "a heartbreaking night for our city," noting, "Today, we have lost five Angelenos," including victims from both the bus and helicopter accidents.

California Governor Gavin Newsom also extended his condolences on social media, thanking the emergency response teams for their efforts.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed an investigation into the crash, with teams arriving at the scene on Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is supporting the investigation. The cause of the crash remains undetermined.

This accident follows a similar tragedy just a month ago when another Telemundo executive died in a helicopter crash in Kenya, marking a second blow to the NBCUniversal family in a matter of weeks.