A helicopter crash prompts the NTSB to remove wreckage from Biscayne Bay

A Biscayne Bay helicopter crash prompted a coordinated recovery operation as the National Transportation Safety Board joined local responders to retrieve wreckage from the water, with salvage crews and the NTSB working together in the effort that followed the incident earlier in the week, according to KYMA. The report emphasizes the removal process and does not disclose a cause, injuries, or fatalities beyond noting the crash had occurred and responders were engaged in the salvage mission.

NBC 6 South Florida provides a detailed account of the scene, placing the downed helicopter in Biscayne Bay near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park off Key Biscayne. They report that two men were rescued from the water as rescuers from multiple local agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection converged on the scene to assist those involved, with visuals showing a federal agent helping survivors from the water. NBC 6 notes that responders arrived and the operation was ongoing, but at the time did not publish precise timing or aircraft specifics.

CBS News, citing Miami-Dade authorities and corroborating NBC 6 and WSVN, identified the helicopter as a Robinson R44 II and named the pilot as Tomas Pendas, who CBS reported died in the crash. They also reported that two additional occupants were injured, later named as Ryan McCoy and Ryan Ferraro, and that the crash occurred during a flight to film boats on the water in the Biscayne Bay area near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. CBS described a broad multi-agency response with two helicopters and boats assisting, and noted investigators were converging on the scene.

WSVN’s initial reporting supported a multi-agency response and indicated two injuries and at least one fatality, with rescue and recovery operations continuing as investigators assessed the scene near Key Biscayne. WPEC, echoed by WSVN, placed the crash near Nixon Beach along Crandon Boulevard southwest of Key Biscayne, and reported that two survivors and the person believed deceased were located at the wreckage area by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel and investigators, noting the helicopter’s yellow floats visible in the water.

On-scene imagery described by WPEC included a yellow tarp over the person believed dead, with paramedics preparing the two survivors for transport to a hospital. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office was identified as having taken the lead in the investigation, and early reports did not release the cause of the crash. WPLG Local 10 reported that the helicopter was engaged in aerial photography when it crashed in Biscayne Bay near Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, with one fatality and two injuries noted, and emergency responders dispatched to the scene on a Wednesday.

WPLG Local 10’s coverage also cites FOX 13 Tampa Bay in corroborating the one-fatality, two-injury tally and naming the NTSB as the investigating body. That outlet framed the incident as an ongoing safety investigation without offering additional detail on aircraft type, exact location, or the crash time. ABC News – Breaking News and related outlets echoed the same casualty figures and noted the NTSB was gathering information at the scene as part of the inquiry, while cautioning that the available material did not include aircraft type or precise coordinates beyond Biscayne Bay and Cape Florida.

WLRN adds that the helicopter was performing aerial photography when it crashed into Biscayne Bay off Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, confirming one fatality and two injuries, and stating that authorities are investigating the crash to determine the cause. Their material references a Facebook post noting three people were on board and identifies Nixon Beach as a nearby reference point, with officials confirming the occupancy and casualty counts consistent with other outlets.

As the coverage converged, NBC 6, WSVN, WPLG Local 10, CBS News, and WPEC described a broad, multi-agency response involving local agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel aiding in locating survivors and securing the scene. CBS and NBC 6 highlighted dramatic moments of survivors being helped from the water, while WPEC focused on the location near Nixon Beach and the visible yellow floats on the wreckage.

CBS News later reported that the wreckage removal operation had concluded in Biscayne Bay, with the emphasis on the fatal crash claim that killed the pilot and injured the passengers, and noted the ongoing investigation into the cause. NBC 6 and WSVN continued to reference a Robinson R44 II and the broad multi-agency response, with NBC 6 reiterating that two men were rescued and that responders were actively working at the scene to assist those involved and secure the area.