A helicopter belonging to former Clark County sheriff candidate Jerry Airola's company crashed and burned on Tuesday on a beach in northern Florida, killing two people, authorities said.
The helicopter belonged to Silver State Helicopters, which operates a training academy at Craig Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
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The company is based in North Las Vegas.
Donald Coleman, a witness to the crash at Ponte Vedra Beach, said, "It sounded like the (helicopter's) main rotor was distressed."
Investigators have determined who the two people were who died in the crash, but were withholding the names until relatives could be notified.
"The news of the fatal incident is devastating," Airola, president of Silver State Helicopters, said in a statement. "Our concern is for the families of the two victims of this tragic accident."
In November, Airola lost his bid to be Clark County's next sheriff after spending more than $3 million of his own money on the race.
Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Harris said the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.
