By Dalia Faheid, CNN
(CNN) — Eliana Moreno, an aerial photojournalist-reporter, was engaged to be married. George Marciniw, a veteran pilot, was planning on retiring soon.
But Moreno won’t be able to walk down the aisle dressed in white, and Marciniw won’t relish in the downtime he had worked so hard and long for.
The news helicopter team was killed in a crash Tuesday evening in a commercial part of Los Angeles.
Edy Gutierrez Mejia, a young tourist from Guatemala, had arrived in L.A. hours before being fatally struck by the helicopter when it crashed into a business parking lot. At least two others were taken to the hospital with injuries, officials said.
The Eurocopter AS350, working for stations NBC4 and Telemundo 52, crashed while providing coverage of a fatal bus collision in Chatsworth, a suburban neighborhood about 25 miles northwest of downtown, the stations said.
Video from the helicopter, showing the view outside as it descended to the ground, includes sounds of the engine losing power and a warning alarm seemingly alerting the pilot to the main blades slowing down, according to an analysis by CNN Aviation Correspondent Pete Muntean.
NBC4 anchor Colleen Williams said the station lost contact with its crew before confirming live on air the crash involved its helicopter team.
“We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup,” she said, before the station switched temporarily to other programming.
The duo, Moreno and Marciniw, were employees of Angel City Air, the helicopter’s operator, and had been flying together since 2023, according to NBC4. CNN has reached out to Angel City Air.
Moreno and Marciniw worked closely on stories over the years, with both sharing photos together, their social media accounts showed.
While the cause of the crash is unknown, the National Transportation Safety Board is leading a probe into the wreck, with a preliminary report available in 30 days, followed by a final report detailing probable cause, which can take up to 18 months.
Now, instead of celebrating their next chapters, loved ones of the three killed in the helicopter crash are grieving their loss.
Here’s what we know about the victims:
A passionate reporter from a big family
Moreno “always wanted to be a news reporter,” her colleague, Lynette Romero, told NBC’s “Today” show Wednesday morning.
Born in Orange County, Moreno graduated from Chapman University in 2010 with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science, NBC4 reported. She joined Angel City Air in September 2010 and since then had reported for several regional outlets.
In 2023, Moreno received an award from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California for “Best TV Continuing Coverage.”
Moreno came from a big family who was “so proud of her for … being on the news in her hometown,” Romero said.
Under the username eli_in_the_heli, Moreno gave viewers an inside look into her reporting from the sky. She explained how she often operated the camera attached to the front of the helicopter while narrating from inside the aircraft as the pilot navigated through coverage of brush fires, shootings and other pursuits all over town.
Moreno, an animal-lover, had dogs and chickens, according to Romero. On her Instagram bio, she writes she is a dog and chicken mom, with the initials “RB” written next to an engagement ring and orange heart emoji. Her fiance’s Instagram bio mirrors hers, with Moreno’s name written next to a heart emoji.
Moreno’s hobbies included line-dancing and running. In a May post, Moreno said she ran a half-marathon in under two hours with her fiance — despite having asthma. She posted photos of her and her fiance happily flaunting their medals after the race.
The couple seemingly got engaged on an October trip. Moreno shared a video of the trip, saying, “I will remember this trip to Tennessee for the rest of my life.” The song “Counting My Blessings” played in the background as Moreno showed off her ring alongside her fiance.
“She was just such a light, such a spark plug,” Romero said. “She’s teeny-tiny but she had the biggest heart and enthusiasm, it was really contagious.”
In one moment that demonstrated Moreno’s zeal for life, Romero recalled when her team had gone on a trip for a behind-the-scenes look at the chopper. Moreno was “so proud” to show them the aircraft and reveal how the machinery inside operated.
“She knew exactly what she was doing. She knew how to express it to our viewers,” Romero said.
“Our viewers are grieving, too. They lost somebody who they knew very intimately. When you have that voice of a news chopper reporter in your ear, it’s a very intimate relationship, right? They’re telling you exactly what they’re seeing, and you can hear it in their voice,” Romero added.
Along with having a voice that viewers instantly recognized, Moreno would easily switch between English and Spanish as she reported for NBC4 and Telemundo 52, Romero said.
Jonathan Gonzalez, co-anchor on NBC4, said Moreno was “extraordinarily gifted.”
An experienced pilot with deep California roots
Marciniw – who NBC4 says liked to be called “Jorge” when on Telemundo – was a lifelong Angeleno, Romero said. Well-known and respected in the industry, Marciniw loved his job and working with Moreno, according to NBC4.
He had deep roots in Southern California, having grown up in Burbank. He was a 1974 graduate of Burbank High School, north of Los Angeles, NBC4 reported.
He came with a wealth of experience, too: Marciniw was a helicopter flight instructor for over 30 years and had flown 14,000 hours, according to his page on iFlightPlanner. On his social media, Marciniw frequently shared photos of stunning views from his mobile perch atop California, often mentioning Moreno.
Pilot Esteban Jimenez said Marciniw, his longtime friend, was nearing retirement and had spoken to him about his plans two days before the crash.
“I knew him since the 90s. He was my instructor at one time, he was my eyes and ears here in L.A.,” Jimenez told NBC4. “I just cannot believe this.”
California state Sen. Caroline Menjivar paid tribute to Marciniw on Wednesday.
“Our hearts are with George’s family, friends, and all those grieving this heartbreaking loss,” she said.
Moreno and Marciniw’s NBC4 team is heartbroken, Romero said.
“They were both doing what they loved so much and for me that’s comfort in knowing how happy they were. They loved breaking news, and they loved being in News Chopper 4,” Romero said.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 said in a joint statement they are “deeply saddened” about the tragedy.
“We’re going to miss them beyond words,” Gonzalez said.
A young Guatemalan tourist who just arrived to L.A.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed the third victim was Mejia, a 29-year-old pedestrian who had been in a business parking lot when the plane plummeted. Mejia had just arrived in L.A. from Guatemala on Tuesday, N+ Univision Los Angeles reported.
Mejia, known as “Pichi,” is from the town of Cuilapa in southeastern Guatemala.
The town said they “deeply regret the tragic passing” of Mejia, according to a translated statement.
“We offer a prayer for the eternal rest of his soul and ask God to grant his family strength and peace during this time of sorrow,” the statement said in Spanish.
“He was very playful, he liked to tell jokes and make people laugh,” his family told Univision in Spanish.
Mejia “liked to participate in town activities when there were fairs or events. He always helped to set up stages, he helped with sound checks.”
CNN has reached out to the Consulate General of Guatemala in Los Angeles.
“This is a very, very, very tragic day in Los Angeles,” Mayor Karen Bass said at the scene, referring to both the helicopter crash and the deadly bus collision, which also left two people dead. “My heart certainly goes out to the family and friends of all of those that we lost.”
“Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight’s devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Karina Tsui and Andy Rose contributed to this report.
An engaged reporter, a soon-to-retire pilot and a young tourist: What we know about the L.A. helicopter crash victims News Channel 3-12.
Hence then, the article about an engaged reporter a soon to retire pilot and a young tourist what we know about the l a helicopter crash victims was published today ( ) and is available on News channel ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( An engaged reporter, a soon-to-retire pilot and a young tourist: What we know about the L.A. helicopter crash victims )
Also on site :