Two dead in Utah County helicopter crash

May 18, 2019, 9:48 AM

(KSL 5 TV/Chopper 5)

Former Digital Content Producer

Utah County – A helicopter crashed in the mountains above Alpine on Friday. The two persons who were on board were found deceased.

Sgt. Spencer Cannon of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office received a call on Friday at about 4 p.m. about an overdue helicopter, according to KSL TV.

The call to the sheriff’s office came from the Air Force on behalf of the family members of the helicopter’s occupants.

The helicopter reportedly lifted off from the Vernal Regional Airport. Investigators found the remnants of the chopper in the mountains in the area of Alpine.

The chopper was found more than 100 miles from its reported point of origin.

.@SGTCannonPIO confirms both people on board the helicopter were tragically killed in the crash. https://t.co/q71FSkKgxB

— Matt Rascon (@MattRasconNews) May 18, 2019

Search and rescue crews who were searching the area for the helicopter on Friday. The Department of Public Safety had its helicopter searching the area as well.

On Friday, Sgt. Cannon said that the whereabouts of the chopper were not immediately known by authorities.

“We don’t know a specific location or what the status of the helicopter is except it’s overdue.”

The Federal Aviation Administration says it first issued an alert notice for the missing helicopter around 2 p.m. on Friday. The FAA says that is the first step it takes to alert local authorities and search crews that an aircraft might be missing.

The deceased have not yet been publicly identified.