Florida Helicopter Crash Kills Pilot, 2 Mayo Clinic Workers

Authorities say a helicopter en route to the University of Florida hospital in Gainesville to “harvest organs” crashed in North Florida this morning, killing all three people aboard.

“We understand from local authorities that the helicopter wreckage has been found,” said Mayo Clinic spokesperson Layne Smith.

Reports say the aircraft departed the Jacksonville hospital around 5:45 am but never arrived in Gainesville, about 60 miles southwest.

“It was discovered in Clay County, Florida, near Green Cove Springs, which is about midway between Jacksonville and Gainesville,” Smith said.

Along with the Pilot, whose identity has not been released as of yet, two Mayo Clinic employees on there way to pick up a heart for a transplant were killed in the tragic helicopter crash.

“The medical team consisted of Mayo Clinic cardiac surgeon Luis Bonilla, M.D., and procurement technician David Hines,” the Clinic said in a statement. “No patients were on board.”

Mayo Clinic added that they were working internally to support the family and employees of those lost in the tragedy and that an investigation into what caused the crash had already been launched by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.

via Fox News