Woman helped find her father after helicopter crashed into canal near Miami, cops say
A 71-year-old pilot was killed and his daughter was injured when the helicopter they were in crashed near Krome Avenue in west Miami-Dade, police revealed Thursday.
Jordan Ann Zanzuri, 27, was seen swimming to safety before she directed Miami-Dade Fire Rescue divers to the submerged wreckage after the Hughes 369 helicopter plunged into the canal three miles west of Miami Executive Airport on Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities.
Rescuers then pulled Clement Zanzuri, her father, from the submerged helicopter and tried to resuscitate him before taking him to a hospital where he was declared dead, Miami-Dade police said.
READ MORE: Man died, woman rescued after helicopter plunged into Miami-Dade canal, officials say
The Miami-Dade residents were heading to Miami Executive Airport, 12800 SW 145th Ave., from the Fort Myers area when their chopper crashed after 1 p.m. in the canal parallel to Krome Avenue, Detective Andre Martin, a Miami-Dade police spokesman, told the Miami Herald in an email Thursday.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, which are investigating the cause of the crash, said it happened around 1:50 p.m.
The helicopter was removed from the canal early Thursday afternoon after remaining underwater overnight.
Jordan Zanzuri owns the company, White Bird LLC., that the helicopter belongs too. The South Carolina company was created this year, according to FAA and South Carolina business records.
911 callers spot a spinning helicopter
Multiple 911 callers told dispatchers they had seen a helicopter flying out of control before it crashed in the water, Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told reporters near the site on Wednesday.
“The witnesses were stating that they saw what appeared to be a helicopter that was spinning and falling,” Zabaleta said.
The canal was so deep, Zabaleta added, that first responders could not see the wreckage from the air. After the younger Zanzuri swam to safety, she explained to rescuers where to look for her father.
“That’s when divers went into the water to search for an additional person,” Zabaleta said.
As first responders looked for survivors, onlookers and reporters observed in disbelief from afar near the corner of Southwest 136th Street and 188th Avenue.
An FAA air traffic control center is near the crash site, according to a sign posted at the property’s locked gate. Surrounding areas include several plant nurseries.
What’s next in the investigation?
The helicopter was set to be taken to an undisclosed location to determine the cause of the crash, Peter C. Knudson, an NTSB spokesman, told the Herald in an email Wednesday.
“NTSB investigations involve three primary areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment,” Knudson said.
Investigators will gather flight track data, recordings of any air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records, weather forecasts and actual weather, the pilot’s license and flight experience, videos of the crash and statements from witnesses
They will also do a 72-hour background of the pilot “to determine if there were any issues that could have affected the pilot’s ability to safely operate the flight,” Knudson said.
A preliminary report will be available within 30 days. . A probable cause of the crash along with any contributing factors will be detailed in the final report, which is expected in 12-24 months.
Witnesses or those who have other information that could be relevant to the investigation, including footage of the crash, are asked to email the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
This story was originally published December 28, 2023 at 1:15 PM.
