Portage County, Ohio, became the center of attention this morning after a helicopter crashed into the Mogadore Reservoir. Emergency services were scrambled to the scene following reports of the incident, with News 5 Cleveland reporting that the Ohio State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the crash.
Initial reports failed to determine if there were survivors as the search teams scoured through the reservoir's waters. In the search for the downed aircraft, it was Summit County authorities and Mogadore police, according to the patrol, that the anonymous call was received around 7:15 a.m., bringing the potential disaster to their attention.
The Ravenna Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol told WKYC about an anonymous call they received Friday morning, reporting that the helicopter had gone down near State Route 43. There is no report yet about survivors, but recovery is underway, said a press release from the Portage County Emergency Management Agency.
Rescue boats focused their efforts amid the submerged wreckage, as flight data revealed the helicopter belonged to NEO Helicopter Academy. According to Cleveland19 News, FlightAware data tracked the helicopter from a 6:17 a.m. departure from Medina Municipal Airport to its last known location near Akron at 7:09 a.m. The Portage County Sheriff’s deputies and other emergency services remain on the scene as the operation continues.
Residents have been advised to stay away from the area, with the Sheriff’s office noting that Sunnybrook Road is closed between Martin and Saxe Roads. For those seeking real-time updates on the ongoing situation, live coverage is also being provided on various news outlets' YouTube channels.
