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1 Killed and 11 Injured in Collision of Copters

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Times Staff Writer

At least one person was killed and 11 others injured Saturday when two helicopters collided and crashed while attempting to land at the Catalina Air and Sea Terminal in San Pedro.

Witnesses said one of the aircraft crashed on the helipad next to the terminal, which is under the Vincent Thomas suspension bridge, and the other plunged upside down into the San Pedro Channel near the Princess Louise floating restaurant.

A spokesman for Catalina Airlines, which operates a commuting service based at the terminal, said one of his firm’s helicopters was involved in the collision but declined to discuss further details of the crashes.

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A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said identities of the two aircraft and other particulars of the accident were still under investigation. He said the accident occurred at 4:40 p.m. and confirmed reports that both helicopters had evidently been making landing approaches at the time.

Two of the survivors were identified as Piare Puma, 23, of Woodland Hills and her daughter, Ashley, 4, who were in the helicopter that crashed into the channel.

Swallowed Gasoline

They were taken to San Pedro Peninsula Hospital, where spokeswoman Laurie Lundberg said Piare Puma was in poor condition and Ashley in very serious condition from the effects of swallowing floating gasoline before being rescued.

Lundberg said the little girl would be airlifted to Memorial Medical Center of Long Beach for specialized treatment.

Other survivors from the crashes reportedly were taken to County-Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Aboard the Princess Louise, hostess Rhonda McElwin said several of the restaurant’s channel-side windows were cracked by the impact of the double crash but denied reports that parts of one of the downed helicopters had struck the side of the old cruise ship, which is permanently moored at Berth 94 in San Pedro, next to the crash site.

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“There was a big boom--a really big sound--and I guess that was when they collided,” she said. “I looked out the window and saw one helicopter flying around in circles, getting lower and lower until it crashed on land near the Catalina Terminal.

“A fire broke out, but there was no explosion that I could see. . . .”

U.S. Coast Guard and lifeguard boats were rushed to the scene, along with Los Angeles City Fire Department boats and trucks.

As soon as survivors were en route to the hospital, Fire Department specialists began the work of salvaging the helicopter that had crashed into the water. Officials said the National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of investigating the crash.

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