3 killed after medical helicopter crashes near Jackson, Mississippi

Three people were killed after a medical helicopter crashed near Jackson, Mississippi, according to officials.

The crash occurred around 1:15 p.m. local time on Monday when a Eurocopter EC-135 went down in a wooded area near Highway 43 and the Natchez Trace Parkway, north of the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker told WAPT that the crash resulted in three fatalities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) separately confirmed that three people were aboard the helicopter at the time of the accident.

In a statement, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) identified the helicopter as an AirCare aircraft, saying two UMMC-employed crew members and a Med-Trans pilot were aboard. No patients were on board when the crash occurred.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated they will investigate the incident.