Pilot, 2 health care workers killed in crash of medical helicopter in Mississippi are identified

Authorities on Tuesday identified the two health care workers and a pilot who all died in the crash of a medical helicopter in a wooded area of Mississippi

Authorities on Tuesday identified the two health care workers and a pilot who all died in the crash of a medical helicopter in a wooded area of Mississippi.

Killed in Monday's crash were crew members Jakob Kindt, 37, of Tupelo, Mississippi, and Dustin Pope, 35, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, the University of Mississippi Medical Center said in a statement. The pilot, Cal Wesolowski, 62, of Starkville, Mississippi, also died. Wesolowski worked for the Med-Trans Corp., which partners with health care systems and agencies to provide medical flights.

The helicopter was returning to its base in Columbus, Mississippi, from a patient transport when it crashed in Madison County around 12:30 p.m. Monday, the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s vice chancellor for health affairs, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, said at a news conference.

“The entire Medical Center family is heartbroken over this,” Woodward said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and other authorities are investigating.