Dustin Pope, Jakob Kindt Obituary, Death – The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has identified the three victims of Monday’s fatal helicopter crash.
The crash claimed the lives of two UMMC employees and a Med-Trans pilot. The victims were Dustin Pope, a flight nurse and base supervisor for AirCare in Columbus; Jakob Kindt, a critical care paramedic from Tupelo; and Cal Wesolowski, the pilot from Starkville.
Authorities from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the incident. In the meantime, UMMC has temporarily suspended its AirCare program and is offering support to the families of those who lost their lives.
The helicopter, known as AirCare 3, was based in Columbus and was one of four helicopters leased by UMMC from Med-Trans. It had completed a patient transport and refueled before taking off for its return journey. Shortly after noon, the aircraft crashed in a densely wooded area of Madison County, near the Natchez Trace Parkway, resulting in the deaths of all three on board.
UMMC has stated that it remains committed to supporting its AirCare team, the Mississippi Center for Emergency Services, and other medical staff affected by this tragedy.