A Helicopter Crash Kills Three People, Injures One
Three people were killed, and one other was left with life-threatening injuries when their helicopter crashed in Brewster County over the weekend.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the crash happened on the morning of Saturday, August 8th, in the Black Gap Wildlife Management area in Brewster County.
Officials say that three Texas Parks and Wildlife employees were conducting aerial surveys for desert bighorn sheep when the helicopter crashed. The victims include Wildlife Biologist Dewey Stockbridge, Fish and Wildlife Technician Brandon White, and State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Robert Dittmar.
The privately contracted pilot survived the crash and suffered critical injuries. He was transported to a trauma center in Alpine and then later transferred to a hospital in El Paso for treatment. His identity and current condition were not released at the time of the report.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Carter Smith said in a press release, “These men were consummate professionals, deeply liked and highly regarded by their peers and partners alike for the immense passion, dedication, and expertise they brought to their important work in wildlife management and veterinary medicine,” Smith said.
Governor Greg Abbott called the crash a “tragic accident” and called upon all Texans to keep the families of the victims in their thoughts and prayers.
The cause of the crash is unknown and is currently being investigated by the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
