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Four people were killed in the remote mountains of Arizona on Friday after a private helicopter crashed, authorities said. The incident occurred near Telegraph Canyon, about 64 miles (103 kilometres) east of Phoenix, at around 11 am local time.According to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, all four people on board were killed, including the pilot and three passengers. The victims were identified as a 59-year-old pilot and three women aged 21, 21 and 22. The sheriff’s office said the three passengers were female family members. “Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.The helicopter, identified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an MD 369FF, had taken off from Pegasus Airpark in the nearby town of Queen Creek. Local authorities said reports of a crashed helicopter near Telegraph Canyon, just south of the town of Superior, were received around 11 am.By Friday evening, local authorities and FAA investigators had reached the crash site on foot and confirmed the fatalities, the sheriff’s office told The Independent. The rugged terrain made access to the area difficult, officials said.Authorities said there were indications that a recreational slackline may have played a role in the crash. “An eyewitness who called 911 reported seeing the helicopter strike a portion of the line before falling to the bottom of the canyon,” the sheriff’s office said.Following the crash, the FAA imposed a temporary flight restriction over the area. The restriction was put in place “to provide a safe environment for search and rescue [operations],” the agency said.The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash.Social media users familiar with the area highlighted the challenging landscape around Telegraph Canyon. “Some of that area can be extremely rugged and difficult-to-access terrain,” one Facebook user wrote. Another commented, “Very rugged area up there.”According to the Independent, the Arizona crash comes days after another fatal helicopter incident in the United States. Last Sunday, two pilots were killed in a fiery mid-air collision near Hammonton Municipal Airport in New Jersey. Authorities identified the victims as Kenneth Kirsch, 65, and Michael Greenberg, 71.According to AP, the two pilots had stopped at a café next to the airport before flying, as they often did. Sal Silipino, owner of the Apron Cafe, was quoted as saying, “It was shocking. Still shaking to see that happen.”
