by Christine Kim
Friday, July 9, 2010
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Coast Guard says two of the four major pieces of a Coast Guard helicopter that crashed off La Push, Wash. Wednesday were recovered Friday morning, but fog in the area is temporarily suspending further salvage operations.
Three of the four Sitka-based crewmen who were aboard the helicopter were killed in the crash near Washington's James Island. Witnesses say they saw the low-flying chopper hit power lines in the area. The Coast Guard says it will take time to declare a cause for the crash.
"They're going to recover the pieces and they're going to transfer them to Quillayute River, which is the Coast Guard station there, and then begin the investigation," said Petty Officer Nathan Bradshaw.
According to the Coast Guard, the sole survivor of the crash, 29-year-old Lt. Lance D. Leone of Ventura, Calif., is stable and awake. He is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.
