What to know about the victims of the NBC L.A. news helicopter crash

Tributes began pouring in Wednesday after a deadly news helicopter crash in Los Angeles left three people dead. The crash occurred just before 7p.m. local time on Tuesday in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley, as the news chopper was covering a separate road traffic accident. Angel City Air operated the helicopter, which was affiliated with NBC Los Angeles. The victims aboard the helicopter were identified as Eliana Moreno, a journalist familiar to viewers of the station and its Spanish-language sister station, Telemundo 52, and pilot George Marciniw. The pair began flying together in 2023. A pedestrian on the ground was also confirmed to have died at the scene, officials said. Authorities have yet to identify the individual. Zareh Sevanesian, who witnessed the crash, said the helicopter was swaying before it started losing altitude. “It was just getting lower and lower and lower and lower,” he said on NBC’s “TODAY” show. Eliana Moreno Moreno, in her late 30s, was born in Orange County, south of L.A. She graduated from Chapman University in the area with a degree in broadcast journalism and political science in 2010, NBC Los Angeles reported. Moreno joined Angel City Air’s helicopter team the same year and has reported for multiple Southern California news outlets. A seasoned aerial journalist who also reported in Spanish, Moreno was known on her official Instagram account as, “Eli in the heli,” due to her work. There, she shared pictures of her chickens and pet dogs and a video of her engagement to fiancée Robert Barrientos, in 2025. He did not immediately respond to NBC News’s request for comment. The pair ran a half-marathon together in May, after which she wrote: “I surpassed everything I thought I could ever do so let’s see what I do next!” Moreno also frequently shared multiple images of herself in the news chopper, covering stories on the go, with one caption reading, “I have the best job in the world.” Veteran NBC4 Los Angeles anchor Colleen Williams paid tribute to “dear colleagues” while on air Tuesday evening. Visibly emotional, she told viewers: “We are coming on the air with heavy hearts tonight because we lost valued friends and colleagues ... while on assignment tonight.” “We are going to take a couple of minutes to think about that, process it,” she added, her voice shaking. Lynette Romero, co-anchor of NBC L.A.’s morning newscast, said they were “heartbroken” and are thinking of the families of Moreno and Marciniw. “They were both doing what they loved so much, and for me, that’s comfort in knowing how happy they were. They loved breaking news, and they loved being in News Chopper 4,” she said Wednesday on NBC’s “TODAY” show. George Marciniw Marciniw also grew up in southern California, where he graduated from Burbank High School in 1974, according to NBC L.A. Marciniw is believed to have had over 30 years of flight experience. He often shared sunsets and scenic pictures from the area on what he dubbed a “news cruise” in the helicopter. He often credited pictures on his official Instagram page to his companion and colleague, Moreno. “And that’s a wrap for Friday night as the heavy fog rolls in with Eliana Moreno,” he wrote, sharing an image of the chopper. In another, he posted a picture of the L.A. Dodgers stadium lit up brightly at night, captioned: “A few shots Eliana took as we flew over Dodgers after the game. “Go Dodgers.” Many online paid tribute to Marciniw, detailing his professionalism and fun-loving spirit. “Fly high in the great beyond,” wrote one individual. “Total utter disbelief,” wrote another. NBC Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 issued a joint statement expressing condolences for the pair. “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,” the stations said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.” The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will begin investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.