KENT ISLAND—Police in Maryland said divers found a helicopter that crashed into the Chesapeake Bay, and recovered the bodies of both people on board from the battered cockpit about 55 feet below the surface.
Maryland Natural Resources Police Capt. Brian Albert said divers with his agency and Maryland State Police recovered the bodies Saturday night off Kent Island’s Bloody Point, about 20 miles southeast of Annapolis, Maryland.
Authorities identified the pilot as Charles Knight, 38, of Mount Airy, Maryland, and the passenger was Matt Clark, 36, of Pasadena, Maryland.
Praying for the families of 38 y.o. Charles Knight of Mt Airy and 36 y.o. Matt Clarke of Pasadena, after their helicopter crashed in a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay this afternoon. Police have suspended their search and rescue and will transition to recovery in the morning. pic.twitter.com/SS5X5M1vUa
— Anne Cutler (@AnneCutler) May 5, 2019
Albert said there was a field of debris on the surface, none of it bigger than a laptop computer, but the helicopter came to rest largely intact on the floor of the bay.
He said they’ll use inflatable air bags to raise it to the surface, and the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the cause.
The helicopter crashed into the Chesapeake Bay off Kent Island, Maryland, on Saturday afternoon, May 4.
The authorities responded to a report at around 12:30 p.m. that a helicopter had crashed, Maryland Natural Resources Police Capt. Brian Albert told the Baltimore Sun.
The brother of an onboard passenger was boating in the area and saw the incident happening, and notified authorities CNN reported.
#BREAKING: #USCG, @MDNRPolice and other agencies are searching for 2 after helicopter crash near Kent Island, #Maryland: https://t.co/oABG2tIi03 pic.twitter.com/gF83lmQRn9
— USCG Mid-Atlantic (@uscgmidatlantic) May 4, 2019
Anne Arundel County Fire Department sent a dive team to the scene to locate the missing passengers.
BREAKING: There are reports of a helicopter down in the Chesapeake Bay off of Kent Island, Md., more specifically Bloody Point.
Private boats report seeing wreckage floating in the water.
The U.S. Coast Guard and other first responders are currently scrambling to the scene. pic.twitter.com/QPTMHznDeu
— Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) May 4, 2019
Brandi Colbert, a witness who works in the Kent Point Marina, told the Baltimore Sun that the helicopter went over the marina and disappeared.
Volunteers are currently responding to a helicopter down in the Chesapeake bay. (9-62 Box). Please move over for responding units.
Posted by Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday, May 4, 2019
Epoch Times reporter Allen Zhong and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
