The family of a helicopter reporter killed while on assignment this week is warning the public about online scams that are purporting to provide her relatives with financial assistance.
In a statement released on social media this week, Johan Moreno, the brother of aerial reporter Eliana Moreno, said online campaigns that purport to collect money on behalf of her fiancé and relatives “are not endorsed by our family.”
Moreno’s family followed up with a lengthier statement on Thursday that offered more insight into her passion for local television journalism.
“Since she was 11 years old, Eliana dreamed of becoming a news reporter,” her family said. “Through hard work and courage, she turned that dream into a reality. So much of that journey was made possible by all of you who welcomed her into your homes and onto your screens.”
Moreno and pilot George Marciniw worked for Angel City Air, a company that charters flights on behalf of local TV stations in Los Angeles. She reported exclusively for KNBC (Channel 4) and KVEA (Channel 52, Telemundo).
Moreno and Marciniw were on assignment Tuesday when their Airbus AS350 crashed in Chatsworth, a neighborhood in the northwest portion of the city. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash.
During a press conference on Wednesday, a lead NTSB investigator said video footage transmitted by KNBC’s helicopter is providing key insight into what happened before the aircraft fell.
KNBC is participating in a community vigil scheduled for Thursday evening in remembrance of Moreno, Marciniw and a pedestrian who was killed when the helicopter crashed. The vigil will also recognize two community members who were fatally injured in a collision involving a city bus and sports utility vehicle, which KNBC was covering when their helicopter went down.
The incident was the deadliest involving that type of aircraft leased to a news organization in a decade. In 2014, four people were killed when the same type of helicopter used by KOMO (Channel 4, ABC) crashed near the Space Needle after taking off from the TV station’s rooftop helipad.
