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Eurocopter EC-135 Crash Kills Pilot and Nurse Near Avalon

By Drooid · Oct 3, 2026, 4:02 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

REACH Helicopter Crashes

A REACH Air Medical Services helicopter crashed off Catalina Island, killing two crew members.
Pilot Steven Robinson, 59, and nurse Jessica DeVries, 48, were identified among the dead.
Housekeeper Catalina Romero was identified as a missing passenger and her body was recovered Thursday.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the Eurocopter EC-135-P2 crash.
The crash occurred at about 7:50 p.m. on Sept. 30 near Pebbly Beach, a mile from Avalon.

Summary

Coast Guard Deploys

Los Angeles County Fire Department coordinated divers, paramedics, and aircraft for the rescue.
U.S. Coast Guard deployed an Airbus H135 helicopter and a response boat to the crash site.
A remotely operated underwater vehicle located wreckage at roughly 250 feet depth.
Sheriff’s Department divers joined the search and worked through the night for the missing passenger.
The Airbus H135 helicopter is a twin-engine model commonly used for medical transport.

History

Historical Context

In June 1990 the U.S. Coast Guard fielded the Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk, replacing the HH-3F Pelican. After four Jayhawk crashes—including the fatal July 2005 San Diego accident that killed three crew—the NTSB and FAA required 15-minute pre-flight checks for medical-transport helicopters. The 2024 REACH Air Medical EC-135 crash near Catalina Island reopens those investigations as the Coast Guard expands its MH-60T fleet to 127 aircraft.

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REACH Helicopter Crashes

A REACH Air Medical Services helicopter crashed off Catalina Island, killing two crew members.
Pilot Steven Robinson, 59, and nurse Jessica DeVries, 48, were identified among the dead.
Housekeeper Catalina Romero was identified as a missing passenger and her body was recovered Thursday.
The NTSB and FAA are investigating the Eurocopter EC-135-P2 crash.
The crash occurred at about 7:50 p.m. on Sept. 30 near Pebbly Beach, a mile from Avalon.

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