SUFFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Multiple police and civilian agencies responded to a deadly helicopter crash at the Mogadore Reservoir in Portage County Friday morning.
Authorities have scheduled a noon media update, which will be streamed below:
According to the FAA, the aircraft was a Schweizer 269C helicopter.
Suffield Township Fire Chief Bob Rasnick said his department was notified about the crash at 7:11 a.m.
The fire department contacted the Portage County Water Rescue Team, Hazmat crews, the Portage County Emergency Management Agency, the sheriff's office, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Watch Rasnick's update to the press Friday morning:
Rasnick said witnesses in a boat saw the helicopter fly into an Ohio Edison high-tension wire and crash into the water.
The reservoir is not a drinking water supply, so there is no concern about drinking water contamination. It was initially used to help cool the factories in Akron, and it is currently used for recreation.
"We conducted a dive rescue operation ... There was some leakage from the helicopter, so the Hazmat team —the EPA is here as well — we have isolated and boomed the area to protect the water in this area so there's no danger of it running off and killing wildlife," Rasnick said. "We've mitigated that situation as well."
Local authorities are waiting on the NTSB and the FAA to arrive. The scene will be turned over to those federal agencies.
Rasnick called the situation a "recovery mission" at this point.
"We have recovered one body. We're looking to make absolutely sure there's not anyone else in the area," Rasnick said.
The Water Rescue Team has a device that scans under the water, Rasnick said, and it detected something and is working to ensure it's not someone else.
"We don't believe that it is," he said. "Not sure; we are going to make sure."
Ohio Edison also responded to the scene to remove the top static wire, which doesn't carry power. That line fell on other power wires but has been safely taken care of. Ohio Edison crews are doing additional grounding work on nearby towers to ensure everything in the area is safe, Rasnick said.
