Crashed helicopter’s occupants: Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri

BOUTTE, La. – Louisiana authorities say the passenger who died in a weekend helicopter crash was from Oklahoma. The injured pilot and crewman are from Florida and Missouri.

The helicopter crashed Sunday in a marsh along a power line right-of-way in Boutte (boo-TEE), about 10 miles (16 kilometres) southwest of New Orleans.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne identified the dead man in a statement Monday as 33-year-old Ryan Lamont Cardwell of Watonga.

He says Cardwell worked for a contractor hired to service the Entergy Corp. right-of-way.

He says 33-year-old helicopter crewman Chance Mills of Missouri and 38-year-old pilot Kenneth Gestal of Florida were both taken to a hospital Sunday. Champagne said Mills’ injuries appeared severe. The statement didn’t give their home towns.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.