Three people have been hospitalized after a medical helicopter crash early Saturday morning in central Minnesota.
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North Memorial Health Care immediately started its emergency procedure, calling teams from Valley Med Flight, Life Link, Douglas County Hospital and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department to aid the swift evacuation of the injured crew. They remain in critical condition at the North Memorial Hospital.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are on the scene investigating what led up to the crash.
“Our immediate concern is with our crew members who are now being treated at North Memorial Medical Center”. Officials hope to remove the wreckage by Monday and transfer it to Minneapolis, where it will remain throughout the investigation, the sheriff’s office said. North Memorial ambulance transported three patients from scene to Douglas County Hospital. The crash happened around 2 a.m.
There were low ceilings – about 300 feet – because of cloud cover and winds were light, from the west-northwest about 11 m.p.h. We are glad they are here.
Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies, Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Fire Department also responded.
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North Memorial owns and operates eight Agusta 109 helicopters, the fastest civilian helicopter on the market, which can reach speeds up to 180 miles per hour, according to the company’s website.
