Huntington Beach bystanders save child in helicopter crash
New heart-pounding video captured the moment bystanders rushed to help a young boy trapped under a wrecked helicopter that crash-landed near a California beach Saturday.
The horrifying clip shows the Bell 22SP chopper manned by daredevil pilot Eric Nixon spin out of control around 2 p.m. at the “Cars N Copters” event in Huntington Beach, footage obtained by KTLA-TV shows.
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Bystanders on the ground scramble for cover as the helicopter comes crashing down on beachfront steps — before a young girl is seen looking down at the wreckage and running off in horror.
When they approach the wreck, the child, identified by his family as Oliver Holland, is seen trapped underneath, as two men then rush to his aid before the video ends, the outlet reported.
Nixon later posted on Instagram and he and his passenger were not seriously injured, while two adults and the child were injured and hospitalized. The extent of their injuries was not immediately available.
Authorities did not officially identify the passenger, nor Holland or the others injured on the ground.
“We are praying for a safe recovery and we can’t really say anything else,” his sister wrote on a GoFundMe page to help pay for his medical expenses. “We don’t know what is going to happen.
“Oliver was enjoying a day at the beach when suddenly a helicopter malfunctioned and came crashing down on him. He is currently in the hospital receiving surgery; he has a collapsed lung and brain bleed.”
The site had raised more than $30,000 for the boy’s medical expenses by Sunday evening.
Witnesses told KTLA that the chopper’s rotor detached from the helicopter, sending it spinning.
“It was spinning weird,” bystander Jackson Etchert told the Orange County Register. “I’m like, ‘Hmm, I wonder if it’s doing a trick.’ Then I saw it spinning ever faster, I’m like, ‘Nope, that thing is crashing.’
“First the tail rotor snapped. Next thing I know I see something looked like it hit the main rotor blade.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the crash.
Let’s be honest—no matter how stressful the day gets, a good viral video can instantly lift your mood. Whether it’s a funny pet doing something silly, a heartwarming moment between strangers, or a wild dance challenge, viral videos are what keep the internet fun and alive.