For Immediate Release CAIB PA 17-03 Date: March 28, 2003 Contact: Laura Brown, 281-283-7565 or 281-467-8657 Contact: Lt. Col Woody Woodyard, 281-283-7520 or 713-301-2244 Accident Board Grieves for Searchers Lost in Helicopter Crash The members and staff of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board were saddened to learn that a helicopter searching for debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia crashed in Texas yesterday, leaving two crew members dead and three others injured. Everyone at the board offers their condolences to the families of those who died, and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured. The CAIB is enormously grateful for the ongoing professional work of the thousands of searchers who play a vital role in helping the board find the cause of the Columbia accident. The people who were lost were part of an important safety mission. We thank them and all of those still searching for the debris from Columbia for continuing that difficult, but much-appreciated task. Press Releases