News out of Illinois

Emergency officials were responding to a fatal helicopter crash Aug. 7 in a section of the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois, according to transportation officials and local media.

The National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement to USA TODAY the crash occurred after the helicopter "collided with powerlines and subsequently crashed into a barge in the Mississippi River and experienced a post-crash fire."

The crash killed two people, local media outlets, including Fox 2 and First Alert 4 reported, citing local officials.

The NTSB will work alongside the FAA to investigate the crash, which happened some 25 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri.

The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

This is a developing story.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Helicopter crashes into barge on Mississippi River; reports say 2 dead

Reporting by Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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