Tragic Details of the Helicopter Crash

A devastating incident near Miami Executive Airport claimed the life of Clement Zanzuri, 71, who was piloting a Hughes 369 helicopter with his daughter, Jordan Zanzuri, 27, as the sole passenger.

The helicopter spun and crashed into a canal, mere minutes away from its intended destination.

Heroic Rescue Efforts and Heartbreaking Outcome

Witnesses reported the aircraft’s distressing descent before it submerged in the canal. First responders only located the helicopter after spotting Jordan swimming towards the bank, urgently signaling that her father was still trapped.

Divers immediately plunged in, managing to extract Clement Zanzuri from the wreckage. Despite their attempts at resuscitation, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Jordan sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Tragic Loss and Professional Background

Clement Zanzuri, the president of Stoneworks Inc., a Miami-based supplier of countertops, tragically lost his life in the crash.

His daughter, Jordan, a recent graduate from Columbia University, had been actively involved in her father’s business and was engaged in coaching students for the Law School Admission Test.

Recovery Efforts and Investigation Initiatives

The recovery operation for the battered helicopter took place the following morning, while both the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Homicide Bureau and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched investigations to determine the crash’s cause.

Peter C. Knudson from the NTSB outlined the comprehensive scope of the inquiry, involving flight data analysis, air traffic communications, pilot records, weather conditions, and more, to ascertain any factors that might have contributed to the tragic incident.