A Huntington Beach police officer injured in a Saturday night helicopter crash in Newport Beach that killed a colleague was released from the hospital, the police department announced Sunday morning.

“He’s doing well, but there’s still a lot of recovery ahead,” said Huntington Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Carey. “They are optimistic about his recovery.”

The announcement came as Orange County Sheriff’s Department divers worked to retrieve the upside-down helicopter from the water and attach it to a crane.

“We wanted to inform everyone that the second officer involved in last night’s crash has since been released from the hospital,” the department said on Facebook. “Thank you to our HB community & law enforcement family for the love & support you continue to show Officer Vella’s family & our Department.”

Huntington Beach police officer Nicholas Vella, 44, a 14-year veteran of the city’s police force, was killed in the crash. The department has not provided the name of the other officer.

This is clip @HBPoliceDept Officer Nick Vella shot for me when he and Mark Wersching took me for helicopter ride while covering a 2019 Veterans Day story. Nick’s on left controlling the camera. Condolences to all of Nick’s colleagues & loved ones. pic.twitter.com/FWeUV1Q8LL

— Chip Yost (@ChipYost) February 20, 2022

Police have not said which of the two men, both certified pilots, was at the helm at the time.

The crash happened during calm weather. The National Transportation Safety Board and an accident-reconstruction team with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are investigating what made the helicopter plunge into the water.

It went down at 6:34 p.m. near the shore between the Lido and Balboa peninsulas.

Moments after the crash, an air traffic controller at John Wayne Airport radioed a police helicopter headed to Huntington Beach.

“We did have (the Huntington Beach helicopter), we lost radar contact along the shoreline,” the air traffic controller said according to audio of the calls. “Are you able to precede down there and take a look please?”

“That’s where we’re headed right now,” the second helicopter pilot said.

A few moments later, the pilot radioed back to the control tower, saying “appears (the helicopter) did go down in the water.”

“Keep me advised, please,” the controller said.

A white van, at right, carrying the body of Huntington Beach police officer Nicholas Vella, 44, follows a police procession as it leaves the Orange County Medical Center in route to the Orange County Coroner’s office in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 19, 2022. Officer Vella, a 14-year veteran with the Huntington Beach police department was killed in a helicopter crash in Newport Beach. (Photo by LoudLabs News)

The Huntington Beach Police Department Air Support Unit serves that city as well as Newport Beach and Costa Mesa under contracts with those cities. The officers were responding to a disturbance call in Newport Beach at the time.

By midmorning Sunday, a dive team with the Sheriff’s Department was inspecting the helicopter submerged under Newport Bay to help the NTSB with their investigation.

The helicopter was turned upside down, said Sgt. Todd Hylton, a department spokesman. The divers were working on how to get the aircraft turned right side up and attached to a crane so that it could be lifted out of the water.

The divers were also searching for any aircraft parts that might have scattered on the floor of the bay.

This is a developing story.

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