A TV meteorologist and his pilot crashed in a helicopter Tuesday in the US state of North Carolina. Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag were working for local television station WBTV when they crashed near Interstate 77 in the Charlotte area shortly before noon.

As reported by the Associated Press news agency, among others, the pilot managed to prevent the helicopter from crashing onto the multi-lane highway. Police Chief Johnny Jennings praised the pilot's reaction: "The pilot is a hero in my eyes. Witnesses stated that the pilot swerved off the freeway to save lives," he wrote on Twitter. "Because of his heroic actions there were no other casualties or vehicles on the highway involved in the incident."

Particularly tragic: The two moderators Jamie Boll and Molly Grantham then had to report on the death of their colleagues for a long time, fighting back tears. They reported the incident live for at least 90 minutes without confirming the deaths of the two. They did so only after making sure the families had been notified.

According to the broadcaster, Chip Tayag has worked as a pilot for 20 years and has worked for the television station since 2017. "He was considered one of the best pilots who was constantly educating himself to become even better," WBTV said in a statement. He only celebrated his third wedding anniversary in August. Jason Myers leaves behind a wife and four children.

The cause of the crash is still unclear. The National Traffic Safety Authority and the Federal Aviation Authority have launched investigations.

Watch the video: Dramatic footage from the US state of Utah: Two US National Guard Black Hawk helicopters crash during an exercise in the mountains.

Sources: Associated Press, WBTV, Twitter