In a devastating incident in Burlington County, a helicopter crash has resulted in the loss of two lives. The victims, identified as pilot Monroe Smith and photographer Christopher Dougherty, were onboard Chopper 6 from ABC Action News when the accident occurred in Wharton State Forest on Tuesday night.

Pilot Monroe Smith, 67, hailed from Glenside, Pennsylvania, while photographer Christopher Dougherty, 45, was a resident of Oreland, Pennsylvania. Their identities were confirmed by ABC Action News on Wednesday afternoon.

The tragic crash took place near the intersection of Quaker Bridge and Mullica River roads in Washington Township at approximately 8 p.m. The wreckage of the Eurocopter AS350B2 helicopter was discovered by N.J. State Park police officers in Hammonton around 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

According to Flight Aware, a tracking service, the chopper had departed from N.E. Philadelphia after 7 p.m. with a destination on the Jersey Shore. However, it crashed during its return journey after 8 p.m. The helicopter was last recorded flying at an altitude of 300 feet and a speed of 119 miles per hour.

Heartbroken by the tragic news, retired news photographer Pete Kane, who had known pilot Monroe Smith for a long time, expressed his concern and shock over the incident. He shared that when he learned about the crash, he reached out to Smith the next morning but couldn't reach him. Kane recalled how Smith would always answer his calls, especially in emergencies related to Chopper 6. This uncharacteristic silence raised alarm bells for Kane.

The cause of the crash remains unknown, leaving authorities and investigators with a complex task of determining the underlying factors that led to this tragic accident.

The loss of two lives in this Chopper 6 crash has deeply impacted the local news community, as well as friends and family of Smith and Dougherty. As investigations into the incident continue, the memories of these skilled professionals will live on, reminding us of the risks journalists face in bringing us timely news coverage from the skies.