LA news helicopter crashed in birthplace (and, arguably, epicenter) of ‘eye-in-the-sky’ reporting

For nearly seven decades, news helicopters have provided Los Angeles residents with aerial views of the city, reporting on events such as wildfires, mudslides, and traffic accidents. Known as the "eye in the sky," these helicopters have broadcast live coverage of significant incidents, including the O.J. Simpson chase in the 1990s.

However, on Tuesday, a news helicopter belonging to NBC4 Los Angeles crashed while broadcasting live, bursting into flames and killing three people. The helicopter was covering the collision of an SUV and a city bus when it went down. Two of the crew members, Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, lost their lives, and another individual, Edy Gutierrez Mejia, died on the ground.

This incident adds to the eight fatal crashes involving news helicopters in the United States since 2000, resulting in 16 deaths. Moreno, nicknamed "Eli in the Heli," had been an aerial journalist since 2010, and her death marks a tragic loss in the field of television journalism. The concept of news helicopters originated in Los Angeles in 1958 as a means to outrun competitors in reporting breaking stories.

The invention of the "Telecopter" led to increased ratings and advertising revenue for local news stations.