Helicopter Crash Lands In Cedar Lake
Around 1 PM, Monday, a helicopter made an emergency crash landing in Cedar Lake after possibly having mechanical trouble, according to sources.
The two occupants of the helicopter reside on the lake near the crash site and are believed to be father and son. They were able to swim away from the crash and then were assisted to shore by a boater to a Cedar Lake residents backyard. Cedar Lake Officers who witnessed the crash immediately tended to the aircraft by boat and on the shoreline as this was occurring.
The helicopter, now known to be a Robinson R22, was completely submerged in minutes after crashing. The helicopter was a leased private helicopter from the Lansing Airport, according to Conservation Officers.
A witness to the crash told RNS, the white helicopter seemed like it was out of control as it went down into the water, luckily missing any boaters or swimmers.
A new video below shows the helicopter attempting to make a soft landing on the water then violently spinning after the tail rotor hit the water.
Lake County Hazmat and Dive Teams were called out to contain any spillage that may have occurred from the crash and Divers were placed into the water at the crash site to confirm the condition and placement of the aircraft, as well as confirming no one else was inside as reported.
A local man named Brian DeVries owner of Sunrise Pier & Lift Service, Inc provided a boat with a crane attached and was able to pull the small helicopter from the water and bring it to shore around 5 PM.
The flight plan and the intentions of the pilot are part of the ongoing investigation.
Several other agencies responded to provide services, which included the Cedar Lake Police, Cedar Lake Fire Department, Crown Point Fire Department, Hobart Fire Department, Merrillville Fire Department, and Lake County Hazmat. St. John FD, Lake Hills FD, and Tri-Creek EMS provided standby services.
No further information is available. Check back for updates.
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