Woman, 21, Dies After Walking Into Moving Blades of Helicopter

A 21-year-old Torrance woman was killed Saturday when she walked into the moving blades of a helicopter at Long Beach Airport, a Long Beach Fire Department spokesman said.

The woman, whose name was not released pending notification of her next of kin, was airlifted to Long Beach Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead at 6:58 p.m. of massive head injuries, Fire Department spokesman Bob Caldon said.

The incident occurred at 6:41 p.m. when the victim, who had just returned from a helicopter ride with her boyfriend and another friend, stepped out of the helicopter and walked behind it into the blades, officials said.

“Sometimes people don’t think and they move real quick,” Caldon said. “It was just a very unfortunate situation.”

A helicoptor owned by Life Flight Helicopters, a private firm that airlifts accident victims to hospitals, was refueling at the airport when the accident occurred and immediately flew the woman to the hospital.