Helicopter crash in New York City’s Hudson River leaves six useless, together with three kids: Latest updates
Six people died after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City on Thursday, sending rescue teams racing to the site of the crash.
The helicopter plummeted into the water at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Rescue efforts were launched from both sides of the river, which separates Manhattan and New Jersey.
According to Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement on social media from the scene of the crash and confirmed six people died in the crash. Divers pulled all those aboard from the water.
Fire officials said that two adults, three children, and the pilot were on board the helicopter. The pilot and the family were Spanish visitors to New York City.
Two of the victims were pulled from the water alive and rushed to nearby hospitals, but died from their injuries, according to officials.
A witness at the scene told NBC News the helicopter’s blade “flew off” moments before it plunged into the river. The cause of the tragedy remains unknown.
This is a developing situation; be sure to check back regularly as details are fluid, and information may change as new information becomes available.
FDNY: Divers immediately deployed into river for rescue operation
The Fire Department of New York released the following statement:
Around 3:15 Thursday afternoon, the FDNY received calls for a helicopter crash in the Hudson River. FDNY Marine Units quickly responded to waters off Pier 40 in Lower Manhattan. FDNY divers were immediately deployed into the river to begin rescue operations. Tragically, six people were pronounced dead.
A history of helicopter accidents in New York City
At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, when an accident on a skyscraper landing pad led the city to start putting restrictions on where choppers could land.
Helicopter flights are getting renewed scrutiny after a fatal crash into the Hudson River on Thursday.
A look at accidents over the years:
Helicopter owner ‘absolutely devastated’ by tragedy
The owner of the tourist helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River this afternoon, killing all six people on board, including a family from Spain, told The New York Post he’s “devastated.”
“It’s devastation,” New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth said. “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,” a visibly shaken Roth 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.”
We have FDNY assets right up the road here, and we launched our boats immediately. This operation was a joint operation between the FDNY and the NYPD. Our rescue swimmers were in the water shortly after the call and recovered some of the victims. We worked very closely with the NYPD divers on this and I think this tragic day does indicate just how the spirit of cooperation between the NYPD and the FDNY is alive on the streets and in the water.
Emergency personnel remove helicopter wreckage from Hudson River
Watch: Mayor Eric Adams confirms six deaths in Hudson River crash
I watched it fall out of the sky! I heard five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and saw pieces fall off, then watched it fall into the river.
Where did the helicopter crash?
Despite early reports that the crash had occurred toward the Manhattan side of the Hudson River, the helicopter actually crashed just south of Hoboken as it approached Jersey City on the New Jersey side of the river.
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 Manhattan up the river to the George Washington Bridge before turning south.
It went off the radar at 3:15 p.m.
Source: independent.co.uk
