KAMIAH, ID. -- An Idaho Fish and Game helicopter crashed in Kamiah Tuesday, killing all three people on board.
Officials say the helicopter was carrying two Fish and Game biologists and pilot. The pilot and one of the biologists died on scene, and the other biologist was transported with injuries to the hospital in Orofino and later died.
Idaho Fish and Game have identified the biologists as Larry Barret, 47, and Danielle Schiff, 34. Barret has worked for Fish and Game for 25 years, and Schiff was a 13-year employee.
Both Schiff and Barret work out of the Lewiston Fish and Game office.
The pilot has not been identified. The helicopter was a Hiller 12 E Soloy flown by Leading Edge Aviation out of Clarkston, Washington.
The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. near Forest Service building in Kamiah, after the helicopter experienced some sort of malfunction.
Witness Robert Millage took pictures as emergency response tended to the scene, and images show the helicopter may have crashed into a recreational vehicle.
Millage told KREM 2 News it appeared the helicopter was having trouble and then pieces of the aircraft began to break away and fall to the ground.
Millage noted the pilot was able to avoid hitting homes and a school within blocks of the crash scene.
Fish and Game officials say the biologists were taking counts of salmon spawning nests on the Selway River
According to Millage, a number of people responded to the scene within minutes, including firefighters, police, local medial professionals and bystanders.
A KREM 2 News crew is headed to the crash scene. More updates will be posted on KREM.com throughout the day as information becomes available.
