Mon, Sep 22, 2003
Grim Search For Remains
Recovery teams made the sad trek into the Grand Canyon (AZ)
Sunday, looking for victims of a tour flight that went down the day
before. Officials say there's no chance anyone survived the
crash.
The helicopter, owned by Sundance Helicopters (NV) and operated
by A-Star Tours, took off from the Grand Canyon West Airport (AZ)
with the pilot and six passengers on board. The Mohave County
Sheriff's Department said the terrain at the crash site was so
rugged, the only way in was on foot.
Most of the passengers on board were reportedly foreign
tourists. The Japanese government says the pilot was from Japan, as
were two of the passengers. The German government says at least two
of its citizens also died in the crash. Identities of the victims
have not been released.
The aircraft was
reportedly an Aerospatiale AS-350. No further information on the
type of aircraft or the problems that may have led to the accident
were immediately available. The Sundance Helicopter website
indicates the company flies Eurocopter Astars, in addition to Bell
JetRangers.
Saturday's accident was the second deadliest canyon tour crash
since 1995, when an aircraft went down while trying to return to
Grand Canyon Airport. Eight people died in that incident.
Other recent helicopter crashes near the Grand Canyon
include:
- May 2003: Grand Canyon tour helicopter crashed about 15 miles
east of Meadview, injuring the pilot. No one else was on board.
That helicopter was owned and operated by Papillon. The sightseeing
helicopter crashed in a remote desert area under unknown
circumstances.
- September 2002: A Las Vegas-based sightseeing helicopter
crashed near the Grand Canyon. A Dutch tourist's leg was broken,
but five other passengers and the pilot were unhurt. A preliminary
federal report blamed hydraulic failure for the crash.
- August 2001: Sightseeing helicopter went down in the same area
as the Papillon accident. Six people aboard that helicopter were
killed. A federal report said it didn't appear the helicopter
suffered mechanical failure before it slammed into steep
cliffs.
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