Tragic news helicopter crash in New Jersey claims the lives of pilot and photographer

A news helicopter crashed in New Jersey on Tuesday night, tragically killing both the pilot and photographer on board. Chopper 6 from WPVI-TV in Philadelphia was returning from an assignment at the Jersey Shore when it went down in Washington Township, Burlington County. The TV station reported the crash occurred around 8 p.m. and identified the pilot as 67-year-old Monroe Smith and the photographer as 45-year-old Christopher Dougherty. The news team was described as the "best guys that you would want to know" and "highly skilled in what they do," according to colleagues.

CHOPPER TRAGEDY | NEWS CREW DEAD IN CRASH https://t.co/4cpoE5H7bH

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) December 21, 2023

The cause of the crash is not yet clear, and the National Transportation Safety Board has taken control of the investigation. The remote location of the scene has made the investigation difficult, as the site is part of the New Jersey Pinelands, a million-acre wilderness area. U.S. Helicopters Inc., which is based in North Carolina, leases the helicopter involved in the crash, and the company stated that they deeply sympathize with the families of the victims.

This tragedy marks another deadly helicopter crash involving staff from television stations in the United States. Among them was a July 2007 crash, when two helicopters from KNXV-TV and KTVK-TV collided over Phoenix, killing four people. The loss of the pilot and photographer has left the media community with heavy hearts as they mourn the loss of their colleagues and friends.