Crime & Safety

1 Killed As Helicopter Crashes On Border Of South Brunswick, Princeton

The helicopter took off from Princeton airport on Thursday afternoon shortly before crashing.

(South Brunswick PD )

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A helicopter pilot was killed after his craft crashed in South Brunswick at the border of Princeton Thursday, authorities said.

Nobody else was present in the Robinson R22 craft that took off from Princeton airport on Thursday afternoon. The pilot was dragged to the shoreline by first responders and suffered massive injuries.

Despite life-saving efforts, he could not be saved, authorities said. The helicopter crashed in a canal near Carnegie Lake around 3:45 p.m. Authorities said they received numerous 911 calls about the helicopter, before and after it crashed.

Find out what's happening in South Brunswickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

A Kingston firefighter and South Brunswick police officer were first on the scene, within 5 minutes, and attempted to rescue the pilot.

"The two men lifted the helicopter and pulled the pilot from the helicopter, dragging him onto the shoreline nearby," Deputy Police Chief Jim Ryan said during a media briefing. "The pilot had suffered massive injuries and life-saving efforts were not possible."

Find out what's happening in South Brunswickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

After the pilot was pulled from the helicopter, EMS scoured the water body to confirm there was no one else in the water, authorities said.

No injuries were reported on the ground, South Brunswick Police said.

The pilot has not been identified yet, pending notification to the family. The crash is currently under investigation.

Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.