HONOLULU — Four people are dead after a contractor’s helicopter crashed on Hawaii’s Kauai island, the U.S. Navy announced Tuesday.
According to The Associated Press, the Pacific Missile Range Facility said the incident, which involved a Sikorsky S-61N helicopter flown by Oregon-based Croman Corp., occurred shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday near the facility’s north side. None of the four people on board survived, the news agency reported.
“The helicopter was flying in support of a range training operation,” the Navy said in a statement Tuesday, according to KGMB. “An investigation will commence to determine the cause of the accident. More details will be provided as they become available.”
The National Transportation Safety Board also confirmed in a tweet that it is investigating the crash.
Although authorities have not released the victims’ names, Croman official Brian Beattie told NBC News that they were employees of the company.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Kauai County Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami offered his condolences to the victims’ loved ones.
“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who were lost this morning in this heartbreaking tragedy,” the statement read. “I know there are no words that can express the extent of what you are going through or provide the solace that you need, but please know that our entire community is here for you. We offer our partners at PMRF any resources they may need, and we offer the families involved our deepest condolences during this difficult time.”
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.