Spontaneous Rescue Crew Lifts Downed Helicopter to Save Trapped Medic

Minutes after a medical helicopter crashed onto a California highway, Sacramento Fire Captain Peter Vandersluis quickly organized a makeshift rescue team from about 15 drivers nearby. Acting on instinct, Vandersluis directed them to lift the wreckage and free a paramedic trapped underneath.

With clear commands, Vandersluis coordinated the effort: shouting “lift” to raise the aircraft and “hold” to keep it elevated. The drivers responded immediately, lifting the helicopter with ease. Less than a minute later, the paramedic was freed, rescued from the seat belt by a firefighter who cut her loose.

The paramedic, along with a nurse and pilot on board, was transported to a hospital in critical condition following the crash on State Route 50 east of downtown Sacramento. The helicopter had just departed a hospital after dropping off a patient when it encountered an “in-air emergency” and went down around 7 p.m. The precise cause remains under investigation.

Captain Vandersluis, supervising the first fire engine to arrive at the scene, noticed that further rescue teams would take too long to reach. Recognizing the urgency, he decided to rally bystanders to help, despite never having led civilians in such a situation before. His training and 20 years of firefighting experience guided his quick decision-making.

Meanwhile, other drivers had already exited their cars to assist, with some pushing the helicopter to create space for rescue. Witnesses recounted how the helicopter rapidly descended, prompting traffic to slow down. Remarkably, no injuries occurred among bystanders, a fact Sacramento Fire Department Captain Justin Sylvia called “mind-blowing” considering the crash’s location.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident involving an Airbus EC-130 T2.

The helicopter was operated by REACH Air Medical, which expressed thoughts and prayers for those impacted and is working to determine the details and condition of the crew involved.