Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office

2 Dead in Palm Beach County Helicopter Crash Identified: Sheriff's Office

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the helicopter crashed Friday afternoon in the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area

WPTV-TV

Two people who died when their helicopter crashed in rough terrain near Lake Okeechobee have been identified, officials said Saturday.

The two victims, Richard Preiser, 72, and Thomas Stout, 65, were both from Delray Beach, according to the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the helicopter crashed Friday afternoon in the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and took more than four hours to locate.

Deputies from the agency's wildlife unit reached the wreckage and confirmed both on board had died.

The wreckage was secured overnight by PBSO and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, which was difficult to get to without specialized vehicles, according to PBSO. The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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