1 dead, 2 injured in Florida helicopter crash in Biscayne Bay, Coast Guard says

ORLANDO, Fla. - The U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies responded to a helicopter crash in the Miami area on Wednesday around 11:30 a.m. in Biscayne Bay. 

Three people were aboard the aircraft. One person was reported dead, while two others were transported by emergency medical services (EMS), officials said.

What we know:

The helicopter departed North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines, Florida, shortly before 11 a.m.

WSVN-TV reports that flight-tracking data showed the aircraft circling near the Key Biscayne Bridge before rapidly losing altitude and crashing upside down into the bay near Nixon Beach and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.

What we don't know:

The identities of the crash victims were not immediately released. 

What's next:

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the active investigation into the cause of the crash, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, Miami-Dade Fire , and Miami Fire Rescue.

The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, and reporting by WSVN-TV.