…CORRECTED…

VENTURA, IA — Tragic news comes into our newsroom tonight that Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals reports three crewmember’s onboard the Mercy LifeFlight that crashed north of Ventura, Iowa, have died. An investigation will likely go underway in the morning.

Mercy Medical Center North Iowa have released the names of the two out of three members aboard the Mercy LifeFlight that crashed. Russell Piehl, a paramedic, Shelly Lau-Langenbau, a nurse, and a pilot with Med-Trans, the helicopter service, were killed in the incident.

Police, fire, and ambulance authorities responded to the scene of a helicopter crash near Ventura, Iowa at around 9:00pm Wednesday. The crash was reported at the intersection of Balsam Avenue and 260th Street in Cerro Gordo County.

Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines and Mercy Medical Center in Mason City confirmed Wednesday night that the helicopter was the Mercy LifeFlight, which was responding to assist a medical call in Emmetsburg Wednesday evening before crashing in Emmetsburg.

As we stated, an investigation will likely go underway right away tomorrow morning. Clear Lake Police and other agencies are still at the scene.

We will continue to update you as needed. Our thoughts and prayers of the families that may be affected.