A veteran NBC anchor sat damaged in a police automotive after studying his colleagues had simply died in a tragic helicopter crash in Los Angeles’ Chatsworth neighborhood.
Eliana Moreno, 38, and helicopter pilot George Marciniw, handed away Tuesday after their chopper crashed whereas protecting a bus collision.
The anchor, NBC’s Robert Kovacik, reported from the scene Tuesday evening with the helicopter crew. Kovacik had labored alongside the pair for years.
Kovacik sat toes away from the crash in a police automotive. Video footage caught him rubbing tears away from his eyes earlier than sitting in a police automotive with an officer.
He’s labored for NBC since 2004, in accordance with his LinkedIn. Moreno and Marciniw had labored collectively since 2023 and flew “a whole lot of hours” collectively, in accordance with NBC.
Anchors for NBC tossed it over to Kovacik as he reported from the scene late Tuesday after the crash.
“You concentrate on it girls, as we take care of today of dueling tragedies right here in Chatsworth, we have been simply on the brink of come on air for the NBC 4 information at 7:00 tonight and we have been there,” he stated.
“Colleen and Carolyn, we’re surrounded by this neighborhood…members of the media and colleagues from throughout Southern California, in addition to the LAFD and the LAPD and members of town all coming collectively tonight.”
“In Chatsworth, I’m Robert Kovacik,” he signed, his eyes glassy. “Let’s return to you.”
Kovacik appeared out of types when the crash initially occurred.
“I simply noticed a colleague of mine from ABC in tears and concern,” he stated. “We don’t know the place the chopper is from. We don’t know if it even is a chopper. We don’t know if it’s a information chopper.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass consoled Kovacik on the scene with a hug together with different officers.
Moreno had been engaged for lower than a 12 months when she was killed within the helicopter crash. Marciniw had many years of flight expertise and graduated from Burbank Excessive Faculty in 1974.
The reason for the crash is unclear. Harrowing live-stream video surfaced on-line that confirmed the helicopter struggling, with whirring noises coming from the engine.
A girl, now believed to be Moreno, was heard telling the pilot to “pull” earlier than she added, “What? You possibly can’t pull up?”
Then the stay stream footage appeared to shake seconds earlier than the helicopter crashed.
It’s not identified what prompted the helicopter to crash, however veteran pilot Zoey Tur speculated there might have been an engine failure.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 launched a press release late Tuesday in regards to the crash.
“We’re deeply saddened to share {that a} helicopter offering aerial information protection for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was concerned in a deadly accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. We prolong our heartfelt condolences to the households, mates, and colleagues of those that misplaced their lives.”
A 3rd sufferer was additionally killed when the helicopter crashed, a pedestrian. Their id has not been launched.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board is main the investigation into the crash.
