THERE. EMILY. WELL, BEN ERIKA, THAT FISHERMAN TELLS ME HE DIDN’T THINK TWICE WHEN HE HEARD THAT HELICOPTER HAD CRASHED INTO THE POND. HE JUMPED IN HIS BOAT AND HEAD OUT TO HELP. YOU CAN SEE A PART OF THAT HELICOPTER STICKING OUT OF THE WATER. AND TONIGHT WE’RE LEARNING IT IS GOING TO BE A PROCESS TO GET IT OUT. THEY WERE PREPARED AND ED. NOBODY WAS HURT, WHICH WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT. ROBERT BUESCHER HAD JUST PUT HIS BOAT INTO WARDEN POND THIS MORNING WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THAT WAS A POLICE OFFICER DIRECTING TRAFFIC, AND HE HAD CALLED, DM SAID THERE WAS A HELICOPTER CRASH. BEUSCHER VOLUNTEERED TO HELP, HOPPING IN HIS BOAT AND HEADING ACROSS THE POND. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY WERE FINE. THEY WERE SITTING ON TOP OF IT, A LITTLE SHAKEN UP, BUT THEY WERE OKAY. REPORTER. POLICE SAY THE 54 YEAR OLD PILOT WAS CONTRACTED BY REGENT CRAFT, A RHODE ISLAND MANUFACTURER OF SEA GLIDERS. THE WOMAN FLYING WITH HIM WORKS FOR THE COMPANY. THEY WERE TESTING DOWNWARD FACING SENSORS ON THE WATER, SO THERE’S APPROXIMATELY 20 GALLONS OF GAS ON THE PLANE. RHODE ISLAND’S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICE CHIEF SAYS CREWS CHECKED OUT THE CHOPPER. IT’S A SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS ON THE TOP. IT’LL DISSIPATE, PARTICULARLY ON THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY. PERFECT FOR THAT. SO NO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD AT THIS TIME AS CREWS KEEP AN EYE ON THE SUNKEN HELICOPTER. ROBERT BUESCHER IS GLAD HE WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO HELP. EVERYBODY TURNED OUT OKAY, AND NOW THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE BIRD OUT OF THE WATER. SO WHAT IS THE PLAN TO GET THE HELICOPTER OUT OF THE POND? WELL, CREWS ARE PLANNING TO INFLATE AIR BAGS INSIDE OF THAT HELICOPTER WHILE IT’S UNDERWATER, FLOATED TO THE TOP, THEN DRAG IT TO THE SHORE. NO WORD ON WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN. WE DO KNOW THE FAA IS INVESTIGATING. LI