NEW YORK, April 11 (Alliance News): A tourist helicopter crashed upside down into New York City’s Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six people on board, including a Spanish family of five and the pilot, officials confirmed.
The tragic incident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. ET, when the Bell 206 helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, plunged into the river near Lower Manhattan, off the coast of Hoboken, New Jersey.
The chopper had taken off minutes earlier from a downtown Manhattan helipad and was flying north when it turned near the George Washington Bridge and crashed, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
New York Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the fatalities and expressed condolences to the victims’ families, calling the crash a “terrible tragedy.”
Among the deceased was Agustin Escobar, an executive at the German technology firm Siemens, according to The New York Times, though the Coast Guard has not yet officially confirmed the identities of the victims. Siemens has yet to comment.
Footage captured the moment of the crash, showing the helicopter’s descent and impact. Only parts of the aircraft’s landing gear remained visible above the water as emergency crews responded swiftly.
Divers pulled all six victims from the river; four were pronounced dead on the scene, while the remaining two were transported to hospitals and later succumbed to their injuries.
New York Helicopter Tours, which offers flights starting from $114 per person, did not immediately respond to media inquiries.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the aircraft was flying in New York’s Special Flight Rules Area, which allows limited regulation and no active air traffic control at the time.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a full investigation, with the NTSB leading. A Safety Review Team has also been formed, and NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy is expected to provide a briefing on Friday.
Helicopter safety in New York has long been under scrutiny. In 2018, five people died when a helicopter crashed into the East River during a photo flight.
The recent incident is expected to renew discussions on safety regulations for tourist flights, especially over densely populated urban areas.
