The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has identified the pilot killed in a helicopter crash in Biscayne Bay as Tomas Pendas, 63. The crash happened about two miles west of Key Biscayne on Wednesday morning, during a photo shoot for a “Poker Run” speedboat event.
Two other men, Ryan McCoy, 52, and Ryan Ferraro, 27, were hurt. Deputies said both had minor injuries and have since been released from a Miami hospital. Investigators said the two men were pulled from the water by U.S. Customs and Border Protection crews and flown to the hospital in critical but stable condition before their release.
The Robinson R44 helicopter, operated by Global Air Group, left North Perry Airport at 10:10 a.m. The pilot sent a mayday call at 11:20 a.m., according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Investigators said the aircraft did not land anywhere else before the crash.
A Good Samaritan on a boat was performing CPR on Pendas when marine units arrived. Marine Patrol took over and brought him to the dock at No Name Harbor, where City of Miami Rescue pronounced him dead. The sheriff’s office is looking for the bystander and asks anyone who knows who he is to come forward.
NTSB investigators are reviewing the pilot’s medical records, the helicopter and the wreckage, along with weather and the requirements of the photo shoot. Crews are working to lift the aircraft from the water and move it to a safe place for examination. Witnesses can email witness@ntsb.gov.
