Media helicopter crashes in LA while covering bus collision, killing three

Three people were killed Tuesday in a fiery crash when a US news media helicopter covering a deadly bus crash came down in a Los Angeles neighborhood.

Media in the city had scrambled to cover a deadly accident, after an SUV ploughed into a bus in the Chatsworth area, northwest of downtown, killing another three people and injuring many others in a city where news outlets routinely fly over large incidents.

Reporters who were at the scene of the bus crash said there was a loud bang, with some saying they saw a helicopter come down around a block away, sending plumes of smoke into the air.

Aerial footage showed a large fire that appeared to involve shipping containers and cars, and the wreckage of a helicopter, whose mangled tail and rotors could be seen in the flames.

There was no immediate confirmation of the identity of those aboard the helicopter, but police confirmed early on it was a media chopper and the local NBC4 affiliate reported live that it was unable to make contact with its crew.

Then, during sometimes emotional live coverage on NBC4, veteran news anchor Colleen Williams confirmed it was the local news station's helicopter that crashed.

"We knew it was a news chopper. We knew we'd lost contact with our people out there, and we've just received confirmation," Williams said.

Dozens of firefighters were sent to the scene, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

"Four patients have been assessed. Three patients have been determined deceased on scene. One patient has been transported to a local hospital in unknown condition," a statement said.

One of the dead appeared to be a person who was a pedestrian on the ground when the crash happened.

Los Angeles, America's second biggest city, is a competitive and crowded media market, where TV stations compete aggressively for stories.

Many of them routinely make use of aerial coverage, sending helicopters into the city's already busy skies to cover everything from fires to dramatic car chases.

There are usually two people on board a news media helicopter -- the pilot and the reporter-camera operator who frequently reports live from the sky.