‘Truly wonderful’ nurse identified as one of three killed in Catalina helicopter crash

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A nurse who spent more than two decades helping others was among the three people killed when a medical helicopter plunged into the Pacific off Catalina Island.

Jessica Devries, 48, was identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner as one of the victims of the Sept. 30 crash, which sent a REACH Air Medical Services helicopter down near the Pebbly Beach helipad, NBC Los Angeles reported.

Devries was one of five people aboard the chopper when the crash was reported shortly after 7:50 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Photos shared on social media show Devries smiling alongside friends and colleagues and appearing to love her work caring for patients.

The news of her death prompted an outpouring of grief from friends and former co-workers, who remembered her as a joyful, compassionate person.

“Wow I just found out the nurse in the helicopter was one of my co-workers at RCRMC. County Hospital in Moreno Valley,” one person wrote.

“She was such a happy person, a good soul. So sorry she has passed. Jessica Devires R. N.  My condolences to her son and family.”

“My heart is so heavy hearing about this tragic loss. I had the privilege of being a friend of Jessica’s, she was truly a wonderful person and I feel fortunate that we crossed paths,” another person wrote.

“Knowing how much of her life was devoted to helping others makes this loss especially heartbreaking. My thoughts and deepest condolences are with her family, friends, her REACH family, and everyone who loved and worked alongside her.”

Two other people were killed in the crash, while two were injured. The helicopter had been transporting 45-year-old Catalina Hernandez, who was suffering an allergic reaction after eating something, her family said.

Hernandez was also killed in the crash, with police divers recovering her body from the Pacific Ocean on Friday, officials said.

Her son was also aboard the helicopter and was injured. A male medic was the other injured passenger, and both were receiving hospital treatment, NBC reported.

A male pilot was also killed in the crash but their name has not yet been released.

The Oceanside police and fire departments, where the medical crew was based, issued a statement expressing their condolences to the victims’ families.

“For more than a decade, REACH 16 has been based at the Oceanside Fire Department Training Center,” the post on social media read.

“While no Oceanside Fire or Police personnel were aboard the aircraft, REACH crews have shared our facilities, trained alongside our first responders, and served communities throughout our region for years. They are part of our public safety family, and this loss is felt deeply here in Oceanside.”

“Our hearts are with everyone affected by this tragedy and with the entire REACH community during this incredibly difficult time. We stand with the REACH family and all those impacted,” it concluded. 

A memorial service was held on Catalina Island to honor the victims.

Authorities have not determined what caused the helicopter to crash. The incident remains under investigation.

The tragedy came just weeks after a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth while covering a bus collision, killing three people, including a reporter, a pilot and a bystander.

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