(NewsNation) — Six people are dead, including three children, after a sightseeing helicopter carrying a family from Spain crashed into the Hudson River in New York City Thursday afternoon.
All six people aboard the Bell 206 helicopter died — three adults and three children — New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a press conference. Adams said a family of Spanish tourists and the pilot were killed.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard,” Adams said.
The victims have not been officially identified but reportedly include Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and three children in addition to the pilot, a person briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press.
President Donald Trump offered condolences to the families in a post on Truth Social: “God bless the families and friends of the victims.”
Trump said the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, and his staff are investigating and that “announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!”
It’s unclear what caused the crash.
A witness at the scene, Bruce Wall, told AP he saw the helicopter “falling apart” in midair, with the tail and propeller coming off. The propeller was still spinning without the helicopter as it fell.
Video posted to social media showed parts of the chopper splashing into the water, and the overturned aircraft was submerged.
The helicopter was operated by New York Helicopter, a local tour company, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Tisch said the helicopter took off from the downtown Manhattan heliport at 2:59 p.m. and about 10 minutes into the flight reached the George Washington Bridge before it “lost control,” hitting the water just a few feet from Pier A Park in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The fire department said it received several emergency calls of a helicopter in the water around 3:15 p.m. Rescuers were in the water shortly after the call came in.
When asked about witness reports and 911 calls claiming pieces of the helicopter broke apart in midair before it hit the water, Tisch said that was consistent with what she heard.
Rescue teams from New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey, were on site performing recovery operations Thursday afternoon. The U.S. Coast Guard was also assisting.
“I join all New Yorkers in praying for those we’ve lost and their families,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul wrote on X.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he had been briefed on the “tragic helicopter crash in the Hudson River,” which occurred near his state, and has committed personnel to support the emergency response.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.
At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977. A collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson in 2009 killed nine people, and five died in 2018 when a charter helicopter offering “open door” flights went down into the East River.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Author: Steph Whiteside
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