Heartbreak as TV anchor announces on air that colleagues were inside chopper that crashed in LA

A tearful news anchor has confirmed the helicopter involved in a fiery crash that killed at least three people in California belongs to the NBC Los Angeles news station.

The news chopper had been flying near Chatsworth, about 40 kilometres from downtown LA, covering a fatal bus accident when it crashed between two buildings and burst into flames, just before 7pm on Tuesday (12pm on Wednesday AEST).

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) confirmed three people had died in the crash.

NBC and its Spanish-language sister station Telemundo 52 later announced that two of the victims were photojournalist Eliana Moren and pilot George Marciniw.

Moreno was familiar to viewers of NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52, the stations said.

“We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening,” they said in a statement.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”

Moreno was born in Orange County, south of LA, and studied at Chapman University.

Marciniw also grew up in Southern California, graduating from Burbank High School.

Earlier, NBCLA said the helicopter was its own NewsChopper4.

“We’ve been piecing it together here, we knew it was a news chopper and we lost contact with our people out there, and we’ve just received the confirmation,” anchor Colleen Williams said on air.

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“We’re going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, to process and to regroup.”

Williams said she would continue providing television coverage of the crash as more details emerge.

California Governor Gavin Newsom offered his condolences in a statement shared to X.

“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,” Newsom wrote.

“Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight.”

Williams earlier told said on air that her team has “not been able to reach out to our people on Chopper 4”.

One person who was on the ground died at the scene, according to officials.

That victim had been in a parking lot at the time of the crash.

Two others were confirmed dead and one person was hospitalised.

“The fire has been completely extinguished. No exposure to any structures. 4 automobiles and 2 storage containers have been damaged by the fire,” LAFD said in a statement.

“Four patients have been assessed. Three patients have been determined deceased on scene.

“One patient has been transported to a local hospital in unknown condition.”

Rescuers were seen at the scene looking for other victims in the wreckage.

“We do have one confirmed patient that seemed to be outside of the helicopter when it crashed,” LA Fire Department Captain Branden Silverman said earlier.

“That person was declared deceased on scene.

“At this point, we have not confirmed how many victims, or how many people, were inside the helicopter.”

Silverman described the helicopter as “pretty well destroyed”.

Footage shared to X appears to show the chopper’s final moments in the air before it tumbled to the ground.

The cause of the crash remains unknown.

NBC affiliate KNBC Los Angeles reports the aircraft was a news station helicopter.

The chopper at been flying above the scene of a serious crash involving a Metro bus that left at least two people dead and multiple injured.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will investigate the crash.

It is understood the helicopter was a 2004 Eurocopter AS350 B2.