Unbelievable Photos: Medical Helicopter Crashes En Route to Hospital, 4 Victims Inside Survive
A LifeNet medevac helicopter flying from the WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia crashed in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, at around 12:55 p.m. on Tuesday.
The crew included the pilot, a nurse, a medic and a 2-month-old baby girl who was being transported to the children’s hospital.
Upper Darby Township Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt said the problems started about 45 minutes into the flight, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
An absolute miracle in Drexel Hill today. A helicopter crash, four passengers. None of them have life-threatening injuries. More info to come.
Please continue to avoid Burmont Road between State and Huey. pic.twitter.com/oxhkSsf2Cp
— Rep. Mike Zabel (@RepZabel) January 11, 2022
For about a mile, the pilot was gliding lower and lower, desperately searching for a place to land. Eventually, the helicopter fell out of the sky and against the side of the Drexel Hill United Methodist Church.
All three adults managed to get out of the sideways helicopter under their own power, and the infant was miraculously in stable condition. She was quickly whisked away by ambulance to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“Today at approximately 1256 hours Upper Darby Township Police, Upper Darby Township Fire Department, and paramedics responded to the area of Burmont Road and Bloomfield Avenue for the report of a helicopter down,” the Upper Darby Police Department posted on Facebook.
“Units arrived and located a helicopter down in the roadway. The scene was quickly secured and made safe. At this time, there are no reported injures to the public, responders, and only minor injuries to one of the helicopter crew members.
“Federal authorities were notified and are handling the investigation. We ask your patience with road closures until this investigation is completed.”
Since the incident, many have voiced their praise of the way the emergency was handled and have recognized that this positive outcome is nothing short of miraculous.
“It’s a miracle, it’s an absolute miracle, here what you see behind me,” Bernhardt said at a press conference, according to WJW.
The Upper Darby Professional Firefighters gave the pilot a nod in a Facebook post of their own.
“All 4 patients were transported via ground ambulance with non life-threatening injuries,” they shared.
“Our utmost respect goes out to the pilot/crew of the helicopter, as all of them continued to provide care and direction for their patient and for their fellow crew members, despite their own injuries.”
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
