California Injury Blog
A Catalina Island helicopter crash has claimed the life of Emeric Maillet, a 33-year-old pilot and two passengers while seriously injuring the remaining three passengers. According to a recent KTLA news report, the Eurocopter AS-350, operated by Island Express, went down
near the Banning House lodge at Two Harbors.
Tania Hurd, a culinary arts teacher at John Burroughs High School in Burbank was believed to be one of two passengers killed. The other victim is said to be a male employee of Island Express. Officials are using dental records to help establish the identities of the victims
This is truly a horrible tragedy and I offer my condolences to the families of the victims.
Aviation accidents whether they involve airplanes or helicopters often turn out to be fatal because of their intensity. In this case, the federal investigators suspect engine failure as the cause of the accident and don’t believe the weather played a part. The aircraft’s engine has been sent to the manufacturer for a comprehensive analysis. If it is determined that the helicopter accident occurred because of an inherent defect in the engine, the manufacturer could be held responsible for the accident as well as the deaths and injuries caused by it. An unbiased expert evaluation is required here due to the complexities of the case and to find out the exact reason for the crash.
The victims and their families here would be well advised to retain the services of a reputed California product defect attorney with the resources to conduct a detailed investigation. The families need an expert working on their side and protecting their rights while explaining their available options.