NM medical investigator says pilot in rescue mission crash died of cold exposure, injuries

NM helicopter pilot died of exposure, injuries

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico’s medical examiner says a state police pilot whose helicopter crashed in the mountains near Santa Fe during a rescue mission died from exposure to the cold and injuries from the wreck.

The helicopter crashed last Tuesday during an attempted rescue of a lost hiker, Megumi Yamamoto of Toyko. She died in the crash along with Sgt. Andy Tingwall. Tingwall and Yamamoto were thrown from the helicopter in the crash.

The Office of the Medical Investigator says Yamamoto died from blunt force injuries. No other details were released Tuesday.

Another crew member, state police officer Wesley Cox, survived after spending the night in the helicopter’s wrecked fuselage in cold, snowy conditions at 12,000 feet.