Tributes began pouring in Wednesday after a deadly news helicopter crash in Los Angeles left three people dead.The crash took place just before 7p.m.local time on Tuesday in the Chatsworth area of San Fernando Valley, as the news chopper was covering a separate road traffic accident.
The helicopter was operated by Angel City Air and affiliated with NBC Los Angeles.The victims aboard the helicopter were identified as Eliana Moreno, a journalist familiar to viewers of the station and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, and pilot George Marciniw.
The pair began flying together in 2023.A pedestrian on the ground was also confirmed to have died at the scene, officials said.That individual has yet to be identified.
Add to GoogleAt least three people killed in helicopter crash near Los Angeles00:55Eliana Moreno Moreno, in her late 30s, was born in Orange County, south of L.A..She graduated from Chapman University in the area with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science in 2010, NBC Los Angeles reported.Moreno joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team the same year and has reported for multiple Southern California news outlets.A seasoned aerial journalist who also reported in Spanish, Moreno was known on her official Instagram account as, “Eli in the heli,” due to her work.
There, she shared pictures of her chickens and pet dogs and a video of her engagement to fiancée Robert Barrientos in 2025.He did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
The pair ran a half-marathon together in May, after which she wrote: “I surpassed everything I thought I could ever do so let’s see what I do next!”Moreno also frequently shared multiple images of herself in the news chopper covering stories on the go, with one caption reading: “I have the best job in the world.” Veteran NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Colleen Williams paid tribute to “dear colleagues” while on air Tuesday evening.Visibly emotional, she told viewers:...