Patient's body recovered after medevac helicopter crash off Catalina Island

The body of the patient aboard a medical helicopter that went down off Catalina Island on Wednesday night has been recovered from the wreckage. The wreckage was found largely intact on the seabed, about 218 feet below the surface.

The patient was Catalina Hernandez, 45, a resident of the island. She had suffered an allergic reaction and was being flown to a hospital in the Los Angeles area. Her 24-year-old son was travelling with her to translate for her.

The pilot and a flight nurse were taken from the water in cardiac arrest and treated at the scene. Neither survived. Hernandez's son survived, as did a 49-year-old paramedic who broke a leg. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna gave the casualty details at a news conference on Thursday.

The helicopter came down shortly after takeoff, just before 8 p.m. Pacific time, and sank quickly in the dark water. Boats and helicopters were sent out at once. Bystanders, public safety teams and the U.S. Coast Guard joined the search for survivors, and divers returned to the water the following day using a remotely operated vehicle and underwater cameras.

The aircraft was operated by Reach Air Medical Services. The company said in a statement that its staff answer calls at all hours to care for patients, and that its thoughts were with everyone affected.