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Royal Canadian Air Force Helicopter Life Raft Crashes Into Miami-Dade Home, Injuring Woman

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NORTHEAST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – A woman was injured when a life raft fell from a Canadian military helicopter and crashed through the roof of her house.

Chopper 4 flew over the home, located at 14805 NE 10th Court, and spotted a large gaping hole in the roof.

Object Through Roof
A hole left behind in a roof in Northeast Miami-Dade where an unidentified object fell from the sky. (CBS4)

Witnesses say the woman was lying in bed when she heard the helicopter circling her house.

"She was laying in bed and she could hear the helicopter going by in circles, then all of a sudden [she heard] a big explosion. She looked and [there was a] big yellow bag on top of the bag and, crash, it blew up just like an explosion. Then she come out screaming," according to one witness. "I've never seen anything like this."
At first, they thought a bomb had exploded.
"I heard the lady screaming, 'Somebody killed me! What happened!' And I saw her shaking," said homeowner Jean Pierre Joseph. "I see a big hole and then the bag fell down and there's a yellow rope as well."
The Royal Canadian Air Force confirms the CH-146 Griffon helicopter was on its way back to Opa-locka airport when its inflatable life raft fell out of the aircraft. The chopper and its crew was in South Florida to train search and rescue squadrons that carry out rescues over waters since its too cold to perform the exercises in Canada this year.
The raft is back in the air force's possession as the investigation continues. A spokesperson said they will help the residents with accommodations and other support.
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