TRIBUNE

STANTON, TEXAS - A 26-year-old man originally from Moscow died earlier this week when the cable he was suspended from on a helicopter was severed.

Christopher Breed died almost instantly Monday morning after falling nearly 230 feet to the ground, said Martin County Sheriff John Woodward, who responded to the call.

Breed's co-worker, David Oliveira, 25, of California, also died while the two were working to install high-voltage transmission lines in Martin County, Texas.

Woodward said investigators found that a static line had cut through the cable tethering the two men to the helicopter. The static line is a safety line similar to a ground line that runs in the same direction as the power lines, but is much thinner and difficult to detect, Woodward said.

Breed and Oliveira were working for Haverfield Aviation Inc., based in Pennsylvania, on a subcontract to install the transmission lines.

Woodward said the

helicopter pilot did not sustain any injuries in the incident but is being hospitalized from the psychological aftermath.

"It was just a terrible tragedy," he said.

The Martin County Sheriff's Office, Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and Occupational Safety and Health Administration are all conducting separate investigations, Woodward said. His office will look at the entirety of the incident, including any possible criminal activity. He said the other departments are looking at the safety and equipment aspects.

Woodward said it is too early to tell what the outcome of his office's investigation will be, but he doesn't suspect foul play.