Watch CBS News

Florida Firefighting Helicopter Crashes; No Survivors Found

LEESBURG (CBSMiami/AP) -- A Black Hawk firefighting helicopter crashed into a marsh in Central Florida during a training exercise on Tuesday. No survivors have been fouund.

The helicopter crashed into a marsh near Leesburg International Airport during a training exercise around 4 p.m. Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a news release.

The FAA said four people were on board the Sikorsky UH-60 firefighting helicopter when it crashed.

One body was recovered Tuesday night and no survivors had been found, Leesburg Fire Rescue said in a Facebook post.

"The crash appears to be a total loss," the post said.

Hours after the crash, rescue crews were still trying to get to the wreckage to see if there were any survivors, Leesburg police Capt. Joe Iozzi said, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Black Hawk helicopters are widely used by the U.S. military and 28 other counties, according to Lockheed Martin, the aircraft manufacture.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. Officials did not immediately release additional information.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.