The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Helicopter removed from Biscayne Bay after deadly crash
Pilot Tomas Pendas, 63, died when the Robinson R44 II helicopter crashed into Biscayne Bay near Bill Baggs State Park, off Key Biscayne, while on a trip to film boats on the water, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said.
A Robinson R44 II helicopter went down into Biscayne Bay near Bill Baggs State Park off Key Biscayne, leading to a deadly outcome, according to NBC 6 South Florida. The aircraft was reported removed from the water as part of the response and ongoing investigation by local authorities.
The pilot was identified by Miami-Dade authorities as Tomas Pendas, a 63-year-old man, who died in the crash. The helicopter’s mission at the time of impact was to film boats on the water, as stated by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, with the crash prompting an emergency response across multiple agencies.
CBS News corroborated NBC 6’s reporting and added that two other occupants were injured in the incident. The operator was confirmed as a Robinson R44 II, and the two injured passengers were later identified as Ryan McCoy and Ryan Ferraro. The initial CBS News report also noted the crash occurred during a flight designed to film boats in the vicinity.
Emergency responders from various agencies converged on the Biscayne Bay scene in what CBS News described as a broad, multi-agency effort. NBC 6 characterized the response as involving local agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with rescuers arriving at the water’s edge to assist those involved and to secure the site.
Two men were rescued from the water, according to NBC 6 reporting, which also featured a dramatic image of a federal agent pulling survivors from the water. The timing of the rescue operations was not specified by NBC 6 beyond noting that responders had arrived and were actively conducting operations at the scene.
WSVN’s initial reporting indicated two injuries and at least one fatality, with rescue and recovery operations continuing as investigators assessed the crash site near Key Biscayne. WPEC, echoed by WSVN, placed the location near Nixon Beach, off Crandon Boulevard southwest of Key Biscayne, and noted that two survivors and the person believed deceased were located at the wreckage area by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel and investigators, with the helicopter’s yellow floats visible in the water.
On-scene imagery included a yellow tarp covering the person believed to have died, and paramedics were preparing the two surviving occupants for transport to a hospital, according to the reporting. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office was identified as having taken over the crash investigation, with no cause released in the initial material.
Officials recovered the aircraft from Biscayne Bay following the crash as part of the response and investigation. The combined reporting from NBC 6 and CBS News indicates a coordinated effort among local authorities and federal agencies to secure the area, collect evidence, and support the victims and their families as the investigation proceeded.