Newly engaged NBC reporter bragged about having the 'best job in the world' before dying in helicopter crash in Los Angeles

A newly engaged NBC reporter killed in a tragic Los Angeles helicopter crash bragged about having the 'best job in the world' before the fatal collision.Eliana 'Eli' Moreno, 38, tragically died Tuesday night when the news helicopter she was reporting from went down in a parking lot in LA's Chatsworth neighborhood.Her pilot, George Marciniw, 70, and a pedestrian who has not yet been identified, also died at the scene.The beloved news reporter was passionate about her role and frequently posted pictures of herself out in the field on her Instagram account Eli in the Heli, including one captioned: 'After working 76 hours since Sunday, I’m almost done! I can’t complain though because I have the best job in the world.'She was due to soon marry her boyfriend Robert Barrientos, 47, after the pair announced their engagement on Facebook last October.Moreno and Barrientos have been together for at least three years, according to posts on her public Instagram account.Although the reporter never publicly announced the start of their relationship, she did start subtly tagging father of two Barrientos in reels with her dogs in 2023.She made a post in May praising him for running a half-marathon with her. NBC reporter Eliana 'Eli' Moreno, 38, tragically died in a helicopter crash Tuesday night Moreno and her longtime boyfriend, Robert Barrientos, 47, announced their engagement on Facebook in October last year Although the reporter rarely publicized her romantic life online, she did make a post in May praising Barrientos for running the Hoag OC half-marathon with herMoreno, who has had 'bad asthma' throughout her life, completed the race in under two hours, she revealed. 'I did something I never thought I would ever do,' she captioned a photo of her and her partner with their race medals. 'I surpassed everything I thought I could ever do so let's see what I do next!'Moreno and Marciniw were on board an NBC helicopter when it crashed near the scene of a deadly bus collision in Los Angeles just before 7pm Tuesday.The NewsChopper4 was flying over the area between two warehouses at the intersection of Nordhoff Street and DeSoto Avenue, near where an SUV crashed into a bus earlier in the night, when it suddenly lost altitude and plunged to the ground. Two people were killed in the bus crash, while six others were left injured, some of whom were in critical condition.The chopper appeared to have crashed next to two shipping containers and several vehicles that were parked in the area, causing a massive blaze that threatened four vehicles nearby.Moreno was a veteran aerial reporter for NBC4 Los Angeles and Telemundo, who had been flying in news choppers since 2010 – covering police pursuits, wildfires, traffic and major local events. She began her career in the air after graduating from Chapman University in 2010, where she studied broadcast journalism and political science. Moreno had worked at KCAL 9 and KCBS 2 before joining NBC and flying aboard NewsChopper4 around 2018 or 2019. Marciniw was an experienced pilot who had logged more than 14,000 hours in the helicopter. Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, 70, were identified as the two people on board the aircraft when it went down while covering a fatal bus collision Horrific scenes unfolded at the crash site at the intersection of Northoff Street and DeSoto Avenue in Chatsworth with flames rising from the wreck and thick black smoke billowing toward the sky Marciniw, above, and Moreno had been flying together since 2023 NBC4 and Telemundo said in a statement on Tuesday night: 'We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening. 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.'The confirmation of the NBC staffers' deaths came after a longtime NBC 4 Los Angeles news anchor had confirmed to viewers the chopper was a 'television news helicopter,' noting. 'We are not in contact with our television news helicopter,' Colleen Williams said through tears, while other reporters on the scene choked up.'We have lost contact with our people.' Williams also confirmed that the news helicopter was from NBC Los Angeles, before the news station took a break to process the information. Mayor Karen Bass was seen consoling NBC 4 reporter Robert Kovacik when she and other elected officials spoke about the tragedy later in the night.LA Fire Department Captain Branden Silverman earlier told reporters on the scene that the helicopter is 'pretty well destroyed.' The news helicopter was apparently reporting on a fatal Metro bus crash nearbyThe impact sparked a massive blaze and killed the NBC staffers as well as one person on the ground The NBC Los Angeles helicopter crashed after covering a fatal bus crash on TuesdayA friend of the two helicopter victims also told Fox Los Angeles he is 'hurt,' as he suggested the helicopter suffered from engine failure.'I'm lost for words, I don't know what to say,' he said, describing the pilot as experienced and noting that the NBC reporter had recently been married.'It's heartbreaking to see the engine quit,' the friend said. The crash came as local media outlets rushed to get aerial footage of the fatal bus collision as people ran away from the scene and police cruisers sped toward the fiery explosion.It appeared the bus was crossing the intersection at around 5pm when the SUV T-boned it, sending both vehicles onto the curb, ABC 7 reported.Authorities are now looking into the possibility that one of the vehicles ran a red light.Two people were killed at the scene, while others were rushed to local hospitals.One of those killed was reportedly ejected from the bus, while the other was said to have been onboard the city bus. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attended the scene where she delivered an update, saying her heart was with all those who lost loved ones Bass was seen embracing NBC 4 reporter Robert Kovacik following the fatal crashAn LA Urban Search and Rescue Team was also seen extricating multiple people from the bus, with at least one person found stuck underneath the vehicle, KTLA reported.She was eventually freed and quickly loaded into an ambulance in unknown condition with what crews on the scene described as 'crushing' injuries.Soon after the bus crash, images emerged showing the front half of the Ford SUV embedded in the side of the Metro bus.When the vehicle was then removed, a gaping hole was visible in the bus' side, according to the Los Angeles Times.At the height of the response, there were more than 70 Fire Department personnel on scene, a spokesperson said at a news conference.The intersection where the two fatal crashes occurred will now be closed for 'quite some time,' she noted. In a brief statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she is 'absolutely devastated by the loss of life in Chatsworth tonight.''My heart is with the families and loved ones of those we lost in the tragic bus collision and helicopter crash,' she posted on social media. A Los Angeles firefighter is pictured responding to the scene of the helicopter crash The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the helicopter crash.'I'm grateful to the city teams who responded so quickly,' she added, as she urged the public to 'please stay clear of the are as public safety officials remain on scene.' California Governor Gavin Newsom also shared his condolences.'Our hearts are with the victims and families of tonight's devastating Metro bus and helicopter crashes in Chatsworth, and with the entire NBC4 family,' he said in a statement.'Thank you to the first responders working tirelessly tonight.' Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, added that it was 'very sad news.' Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the helicopter crash.