Grand Canyon helicopter crash kills three

An aerial view near the West Rim of the Grand Canyon November 6, 2008 in Grand Canyon, Arizona.Image copyright
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The accident happened at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon

A tourist helicopter has crashed in the Grand Canyon in the US state of Arizona, killing three people and injuring at least four.

The aircraft suffered “substantial damage”, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Authority said.

It was in the Grand Canyon West area when it came down at around 17:20 local time (00:20 GMT) on Saturday.

It is not yet clear what caused the crash, or which company operated the helicopter.

Local media said the helicopter was an Airbus Eurocopter EC130.

The Grand Canyon, which is more than 1.6km (one mile) deep, is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the US.

Grand Canyon helicopter crash kills three