3 dead after helicopter crash at Kalalau Beach in Hawaii

Three people are dead after a helicopter crashed at Kalalau Beach on Kaua'i in Hawaii, the island's police department said in a statement.

Police said they received a "text-to-911" message around 3:45 p.m. that a helicopter had crashed into the ocean near Kalalau Beach. According to Kaua’i police, multiple agencies responded to reports of the downed chopper.

The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers, and was operated by Airborne Aviation — a company that operates helicopter tours, police said.

Officials identified two of the victims as Margaret Rimler, 56, and Patrick Haskel, 59, both of whom are from Massachusetts. Authorities identified the third victim as a 40-year-old woman, but declined to share her name, citing an ongoing notification of next of kin.

The other two passengers were taken to Wilcox Medical Center for treatment, police said.

The Kaua'i Fire Department, the Kaua'i Emergency Management Agency, the United States Coast Guard, American Medical Response, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Kaua'i Police Department all responded to the crash and "are actively involved in the response," according to the police statement.

At a press conference Friday night, officials said that they have not determined the cause for the crash and that an investigation remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, Hawaii has been facing historic floods that have wreaked havoc on the islands in recent weeks amid devastating “kona low,” or seasonal Hawaiian cyclones.

The storms first caused destruction on Oahu and Maui last weekend, and alerts were up for the Big Island earlier this week.

Airborne Aviation did not immediately return a request for comment.