A veteran NBC anchor sat broken in a police car after learning his colleagues had just died in a tragic helicopter crash in Los Angeles’ Chatsworth neighborhood.
Eliana Moreno, 38, and helicopter pilot George Marciniw, passed away Tuesday after their chopper crashed while covering a bus collision.
The anchor, NBC’s Robert Kovacik, reported from the scene Tuesday night. Kovacik had worked alongside the pair for years.
Kovacik sat feet away from the crash in a police car. Video footage caught him rubbing tears away from his eyes before sitting in a police car with an officer.
He’s worked for NBC since 2004, according to his LinkedIn. Moreno and Marciniw had worked together since 2023 and flew “hundreds of hours” together, according to NBC.
Kovacik appeared out of sorts when the crash initially happened.
“I just saw a colleague of mine from ABC in tears and concern,” he said. “We don’t know where the chopper is from. We don’t know if it even is a chopper. We don’t know if it is a news chopper.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass consoled Kovacik on the scene with a hug along with other officials.
Moreno had been engaged for less than a year when she was killed in the helicopter crash. Marciniw had decades of flight experience and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.
It’s unclear what caused the crash. Harrowing live-stream video has surfaced online that showed the copter struggling, with whirring noises coming from the engine.
A woman, now believed to be Moreno, was heard telling the pilot to “pull” before she added, “What? You can’t pull up?”
Then the live stream footage appeared to shake seconds before the helicopter crashed.
It’s not known what caused the helicopter to crash, but veteran pilot Zoey Tur speculated there may have been an engine failure.
NBC4 and Telemundo 52 released a statement late Tuesday about the crash.
“We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.”
A third victim was also killed when the helicopter crashed, a pedestrian. Their identity has not been released.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash.
