A former Westbrook police officer was injured Saturday when the helicopter he was piloting crashed off the coast of Louisiana Saturday.

The helicopter, which was carrying four people, went down around 6 p.m. on the Southwest Pass near Venice, La., according to the U.S. Coast Guard. One person was killed and three others were transported to West Jefferson Hospital, including the former police officer, Michael McCaffrey.

McCaffrey was treated for severe hypothermia, according to the Plaquemines Parish Coroner’s Office in Port Sulphur, La. As of Wednesday, McCaffrey was being treated at University Hospital in New Orleans. A spokeswoman at the hospital said McCaffrey was not in intensive care and referred further questions about his condition to his family. His wife, Martha McCaffrey, declined to comment.

The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation of the crash. According to a preliminary report, McCaffrey spent about two and a half hours in the water before he was rescued.

The helicopter belonged to Air Logistics, a company based out of New Iberia, La., that provides helicopter transportation services to the oil and gas industry. The company had no comment on the crash.

McCaffrey was hired by the Westbrook Police Department in 1985 and was promoted to sergeant in 1989. He retired in June.


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