Two Longtime ABC Action News Employees Dead After News Chopper Crashes Into Wooded Area

Two Longtime ABC Action News Employees Dead After News Chopper Crashes Into Wooded Area

We are saddened to report that two longtime ABC Action News employees have unfortunately passed away after being involved in a helicopter crash while on the job.

It’s unclear what caused the collision. According to multiple reports, A pilot and news photographer were on board ABC Action News’ Chopper 6 when it crashed in a wooded area of Burlington County on Tuesday night.

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy issued a statement addressing the tragedy on X.
Our deepest condolences go out to the Action News family following last night’s helicopter crash in Wharton State Forest,’ Murphy wrote.

 

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WFTS-TV (channel 28), branded as ABC Action News, is a television station licensed to Tampa, Florida, United States, serving the Tampa Bay area as an affiliate of ABC.

It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Bradenton-licensed Ion Television station WXPX-TV (channel 66). WFTS-TV’s studios are located on North Himes Avenue on Tampa’s northwest side, and its transmitter is located in Riverview, Florida.

The network attempted to disaffiliate from WWSB, its affiliate in Sarasota, but that station was ultimately allowed to remain with the network. To start local newscasts, channel 28 was forced to rent studio space in Clearwater.

The newscasts debuted in fourth place in the market but have been more competitive since. In 1996, Scripps completed construction on the present studio facilities near Raymond James Stadium; the building accommodates the news department and is large enough that several business functions for the entire station group are run from Tampa.