Journalist Eliana Moreno, Pilot George Marciniw and Pedestrian Edy Gutierrez Mejia Identified as Victims
Three people were killed Tuesday evening when a news helicopter operated by Angel City Air and providing aerial coverage for NBC Los Angeles crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles, NBC News reported Wednesday.
The victims aboard the helicopter were identified as Eliana Moreno, an aerial journalist, and George Marciniw, the pilot. Authorities also identified Edy Gutierrez Mejia, 29, as the pedestrian killed on the ground.
Tributes for the Victims
Colleagues remembered Moreno as an experienced aerial journalist whose enthusiasm for her work was widely known at NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52. Anchor Lynette Romero described her as energetic and warm, while other colleagues expressed condolences on air following the crash.
Marciniw was also remembered by colleagues and others who had worked with him during his long aviation career. Moreno and Marciniw had flown together since 2023 and frequently shared images from their assignments.
NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of all three victims.
The helicopter was covering an earlier traffic accident in the San Fernando Valley when it crashed shortly before 7 p.m. local time. A witness told NBC News that the aircraft appeared to lose altitude before going down.
Moreno, 38, was a Southern California journalist who reported in both English and Spanish. She graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science and joined Angel City Air's helicopter team that year.
Marciniw, who graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, had more than 30 years of flight experience, according to information cited by NBC Los Angeles. Moreno and Marciniw had worked together since 2023.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. The cause had not been determined as of Wednesday.