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Helicopter Crashes on New Mexico Hospital Roof


A medical helicopter crashed Wednesday while trying to take off from a rooftop helipad at a hospital in Albuquerque, N.M., officials said.

The chopper spun and crashed after dropping off a patient at the University of New Mexico Hospital at around 5.45 p.m. local time (7.45 p.m. ET), according to a report by NBC station KOB.

The company that owns the helicopter, PHI Air Medical, released a statement saying the pilot and two crew suffered "very minor injuries."

According to the statement, the helicopter crashed after it "experienced an unforeseen issue on takeoff resulting in the aircraft coming off of the helipad and onto the hospital rooftop, where the aircraft came to rest on its side."

The hospital evacuated the floors directly beneath the scene of the crash as a precaution, KOB reported. All hospital staff and patients were safe.

Images taken at the scene showed the yellow helicopter on the roof on its side surrounded by several firefighters and emergency personnel.

The helicopter's tail section was damaged and could be seen protruding over the edge of the roof. It did not appear to be in danger of plummeting, but police cordoned off the area on the street below.