Six people died after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River off New York City. Here’s what we know
Six people have died after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan.
At approximately 3:15 p.m., a Bell 206 LongRanger crashed into the river that divides New York City from New Jersey. According to FlightRadar24, the helicopter took off from a Manhattan heliport on a sightseeing tour.
Here’s what we know about the crash:
What happened?
A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River with a family of Spanish tourists on board. New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed at a press conference that the family comprised two adults and three children
By 5 p.m. all six people, including the pilot, had been pulled from the water, Adams added.
Videos posted to social media showed the helicopter falling into the water, overturning as it was submerged. The tail and main propeller appeared to have separated from the fuselage in the air. It is not known why this happened.
Visibility over the river wasn’t substantially impaired, the AP reports, and the water temperature is at 45F.
“It’s devastation,” New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth told The New York Post. “I’m a father and a grandfather and to have children on there, I’m devastated. I’m absolutely devastated.”
“The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,” he said.
“And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.”
Where did the crash happen?
The crash happened on a stretch of the Hudson River, which separates Manhattan in New York City from New Jersey. The helicopter impacted the water closer to New Jersey, off the shore of Jersey City and Hoboken.
New York Police Department officials said emergency responders were gathered near Pier40 on the West Side Highway and Spring Street in Manhattan to coordinate the city’s response to the incident.
The Bell 206 helicopter took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 p.m., headed toward the Statue of Liberty, before flying north along the west side of Manhattan up the river to the George Washington Bridge. It then turned south, flying closer to New Jersey.
It went off the radar at 3:15 p.m.
Who was on board?
The identities of the pilot, two adults, and three children on board have not yet been released.
Four of those were pronounced dead at the scene, and two died in a local hospital, local authorities confirmed.
What are residents and officials saying?
Adams urged residents to avoid the area while the recovery operation and investigation got underway.
“The team is on the scene at the heartbreaking and tragic crash in the Hudson River…Please avoid the area near Pier 40 in Manhattan in the meantime,” he said.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also said he’s aware of the disaster: “I have been briefed by law enforcement on the tragic helicopter crash in the Hudson River close to New Jersey. We are supporting the emergency response effort through the @NJSP, @PANYNJ, and local first responders.”
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board said they were leading the investigation into the incident.
Jersey City resident and witness Peter Park told The New York Times he heard a “loud bang” as the helicopter crashed, and looked out his window to see an aircraft giving off black smoke and helicopter blades falling into the river.
He said the blades were so close to the New Jersey shore he feared they may strike people
Lesly Camacho, a witness who saw the crash from Hoboken, told the Associated Press the helicopter was spinning uncontrollably as it fell.
At least 32 people have died in New York City helicopter crashes since 1977, the Associated Press reports.
The most recent similar incident happened six years ago, with five sightseers drowning after a helicopter flying with its doors off fell into the East River. The pilot was the only survivor.
