Four people died and one is missing after a private helicopter crashed on Monday afternoon near Botany Bay in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, according to local officials.
Richard Motta, communications director for the United States Virgin Islands government, confirmed that the identities of the four dead have not yet been released pending notification of their closest relatives.
“Virgin Island Fire Service was the leading agency, they set up what was then a rescue effort, which turned into a recovery effort,” said Motta.
“There was a fifth person listed on the flight manifest,” said Motta. “Search and rescue or recovery efforts began this morning for the fifth passenger in the manifest.”
A swimmer told the Virgin Islands Daily News that they saw clouds of black smoke and smelled a chemical odor coming from the hill where the helicopter crashed on Monday afternoon.
The newspaper reported that a local private school canceled classes based on a report that a student and his family were on board.
A spokesman for the School of the West Indies declined to comment.
Motta said the government would release more information on Tuesday.
This is breaking news and will be updated. Please check again for updates.
