By ABC7.com staff
SAN PEDRO, LOS ANGELES (KABC) --
Authorities are responding to reports of a helicopter down in the ocean off San Pedro.
So far no wreckage or victims have been spotted.
But Eyewitness News has learned that an R-22 Beta helicopter left the Torrance Airport around 4:30 p.m.
Eyewitness News has also learned that the helicopter belongs to JJ Helicopters, a Torrance-based company, and that the aircraft is unaccounted for.
It is unclear if that helicopter landed somewhere else or crashed.
Officials say passengers on a cruise ship reported seeing a helicopter go down in the port area.
The U.S. Coast Guard, who came to assist in the search, closed the Los Angeles Harbor entrance as efforts to find something continued.
Authorities responding to report of helicopter down off San Pedro | abc7.com
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Helicopter reported down near LA harbor; search underway
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES —
Authorities launched an air and sea search Wednesday after reports that a helicopter went down in the waters near Los Angeles harbor.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Andrea Anderson says the possible crash outside the San Pedro breakwater was reported at about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday by several passengers aboard an outbound cruise ship.
Authorities learned that a Robinson R22 with two people on board took off from the airport in nearby Torrance.
Anderson says it was supposed to be taking photographs in the general area but hadn't made contact or landed back at the airport by evening.
Coast Guard ships and a helicopter were searching the area near a harbor lighthouse but after several hours had not found any aircraft, wreckage or people.
Helicopter reported down near LA harbor; search underway | The Tribune
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Update -- nothing has been found so far -- unclear if will turn out to be just another "report from a cruise ship passenger" --- (though in that case, presumably they should be able to confirm with the company that the chopper has reported in or is otherwise not missing).
The U.S. Coast Guard and crews from the Los Angeles city and county fire departments mounted a search along with boat crews from the Long Beach Fire Department, but as of about 7:30 p.m. no aircraft, victim or debris had been located and county and Long Beach Fire Department boats were released from the scene, Stewart said.
"Los Angeles Fire Department boats are on standby while Port Police establish a search grid,'' she said.