Helicopter crash onto the ice of an Idaho reservoir kills one occupant, injures the other

One person is dead and another was rushed to the hospital after a helicopter crashed on the ice at an East Idaho reservoir, authorities said.

The crash happened about 4:40 p.m. Thursday on the Ririe Reservoir about a mile east of the Ririe Dam, according to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. The reservoir is about 10 miles east of Idaho Falls. 

Emergency crews rushed to the scene and deployed on snow machines from the Juniper Campground area. Two occupants were found inside the helicopter. One was dead and the other was taken to an ambulance before being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office says.

A downed power line was discovered in the area of the crash.

“Deputies have closed Ririe Reservoir and the area around the crash site for safety due to downed power lines and unstable ice conditions,” the Sheriff’s Office said a news release. “The circumstances of why the helicopter was in that area are still being confirmed and the investigation is continuing.”

Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Idaho Falls Fire, Jefferson Central Fire, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Fish and Game, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Bonneville County Fire Ammon Division, Bonneville County Coroner’s Office, Dive Rescue and Drone Teams.

The names of those involved have not been released. The Fderal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, the release said.

This story was originally published February 21, 2025 at 9:26 AM.