On isolated Catalina, a lifesaving helicopter flight ends in tragedy, questions

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Set us as preferred When Catalina Romero arrived at Catalina Island’s tiny emergency room this week with a severe allergic reaction, officials decided she needed medical attention on the mainland.So they called a medical evacuation helicopter out of Oceanside.For residents of Avalon and the other Catalina communities, helicopters are part of life when emergencies and unexpected events require services the island doesn’t provide.But just moments after takeoff, the helicopter crashed into the ocean near Pebbly Beach.Romero, the pilot and medevac nurse Jessica Devries, 48, who were on board, were killed.

The pilot’s name has not been publicly released.Romero’s eldest son and another passenger were injured and remain in the hospital.As federal investigators try to determine the cause of the crash, island residents are mourning the dead and confronting the trade-offs of life so isolated from the rest of Southern California.“It’s a small community,” said Dr.

Matthew Byrnes, who works at Catalina Island Health.“The level of tragedy is so profound that you feel it to the core of your soul.

And everybody feels the same thing.” Dozens of flights to and from Catalina Island have crashed over the years, with pilots saying the airport poses its share of challenges.But Avalon Mayor Pro Tem Michael Ponce said most crashes involve sightseeing helicopters and private planes generally unfamiliar with the island’s unique landscape and runway, officials say.

Accidents involving professionals like the medical chopper crew, he said, are much rarer.“We just want to know what happened,” Ponce said.“We know that accidents happen and that’s just part of it.

But if it’s a lifesaving event, we’re going to get a medevac off the island.That’s just what happens here.”About 4,000 people call the island home year-roun...