A helicopter flying over the Mississippi River in Illinois tragically crashed into power lines on Thursday, hitting a barge and bursting into flames. Sadly, officials confirmed that two people on board lost their lives.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the incident took place around 11:00 a.m. local time (6:00 p.m. CET), just under a kilometer from the Alton Dam. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sergeant Dallas Thompson stated that there were no other casualties or injuries, and thankfully, no one was on the barge at the time.
Videos shared on social media captured thick black smoke rising from the vessel before firefighters managed to bring the fire under control.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently investigating the cause of the crash.
