Minneapolis Bridge

[Beertigger]

over head was 4, then 5, then 6 tv helicopters... I wonder why they did not start landing and taking people off the non-collapsed part of the bridge..at least a couple at a time... maybe it would destroy their jouranalistic independence.

First off, yeah, it would. The job of a journalist is to convey information, not to interfere in a situation. "Observe and report, don't make the news." Sometimes it's difficult and even troubling to avoid intervening, and sometimes it's impossible not to, but it's not what the job is. There are people who are trained for that - if they absolutely needed assistance, they'd be asking for it.

Second, absent the proper training, a air/ground rescue isn't something even an experienced chopper pilot should be doing. Especially in a dynamic disaster situation with crowded airspace and little room to maneuver due to structures and terrain.