TUSCUMBIA, Ala. — A helicopter crashed in thick woods early Sunday during the search for a missing hunter, killing all three people on board, according to the company that owns the aircraft.
The cause of the crash was under investigation, said Jeff Davis, a manager of Air Evac EMS of West Plains, Mo.
The crew had spotted the hunter, but the aircraft crashed as it hovered over his location, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Warren Woodberry.
The hunter was recovered, said Colbert County Sheriff Ronnie May. He said the hunter, whose name was not released, had disappeared after dark Saturday in the Freedom Hills Wildlife Management Area, a 31,572-acre preserve.
The hunter was treated at a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, he said.
Air Evac EMS did not release the names of the pilot, a nurse and an unidentified third member of the crew.
“Our focus at this time is on providing support for the family and friends of these crew members,” Air Evac president and chief executive Colin Collins said in a statement.
