Helicopter delivering human organ crashes on hospital roof

LOS ANGELES (AP) A helicopter delivering a donated human heart to a hospital in East Los Angeles crashed on the roof Friday, but the three people aboard escaped without serious injuries, authorities said.

The private air ambulance crashed shortly after 3 p.m. on the helipad at Keck Hospital of the University of Southern California in Boyle Heights. But there was no fire and no significant fuel leak, the Los Angeles Fire Department tweeted.

News reports showed the helicopter on its side on the rooftop pad, with its rotor blades gone.

The pilot received minor injuries and two other people aboard didn’t report any medical problems and declined treatment, fire spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.

“The donated organ that was being transported was safely retrieved by LAFD firefighters and handed over to USC-County Hospital staff,” the Fire Department tweeted.

The hospital later said the heart was being transplanted.