The witnesses to a fatal helicopter crash in New York City’s Hudson River have recalled seeing the chopper break apart in mid-air before nosediving into the river in a “loud crash”.
On Friday, the pilot of the helicopter was identified as Sean Johnson, a 36-year-old former Navy SEAL who moved to New York City to begin an aviation career following his military service.
All six people on board the helicopter died, including a Spanish family-of-five and the helicopter’s pilot. Siemens executive Agustin Escobar and his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal - also employed by Siemens and with close familial links to FC Barcelona - died alongside their three young children.
The cause of the disaster remains unclear, with witnesses recalling seeing the helicopter breaking apart in mid-air before plunging into the river. Experts believe a freak mechanical failure was behind the crash.
Bruce Wall, 28, described seeing the chopper “falling apart probably 15 feet before it actually fell and then the tail whipped off” and hearing the sound of “something breaking apart in mid-air,” according to the New York Times.
“The helicopter was still pretty loud and then just a loud, loud crash into water,” he added.
An unnamed woman said the “helicopter was a little bit nose down slightly, it kept spinning in the air” in quotes broadcast by BBC Radio 4.
President Donald Trump has offered his condolences and the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation.
Key Points
- Witnesses describe helicopter 'breaking apart in mid-air' before nosediving
- Pictured: Spanish couple who died alongside children in crash
- Who are the six victims of the crash, including a Spanish family?
- Mapped: Flight path of the helicopter before Thursday's fatal crash
- Helicopter pilot identified as 36-year-old former Navy SEAL
Sightseeing tourist helicopter broke apart midair before plunging into Hudson River: Full timeline
00:00 , Oliver O'ConnellA sightseeing tourist helicopter has broken apart midair before plunging into the Hudson River, killing the family of five and pilot on board in the latest horror US aviation disaster.
At around 3.15pm on Thursday, the Bell 206 LongRanger plummeted from the sky and crashed upside-down in the river that divides New York City from New Jersey off the west coast of Manhattan.
Officials confirmed the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists, including three children, died in the tragedy, after FlightRadar24 showed the helicopter had taken off from Manhattan heliport on a sightseeing tour.
Katie Hawkinson, Oliver O'Connell and Tara Cobham cover everything we know so far about the crash:
Tragic Manhattan helicopter crash hits home back in Barcelona
23:00Condolences poured in Friday for the Barcelona family that perished in a helicopter accident an ocean away, from Spain’s prime minister to the company where the parents worked and the school where their children studied.
The family of five had meant to celebrate one of their children’s birthdays in the United States. Instead, a private helicopter tour of New York city turned tragic when the aircraft broke apart and plunged into the Hudson River. The pilot also died, bringing the death toll to six.
The victims were Agustín Escobar and his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, both executives at units of energy technology company Siemens, as well as their three children, and the pilot.
READ MORE:
Tragic Manhattan helicopter crash hits home back in Barcelona
NTSB boss once again suggests agency's safety recommendations are being ignored
22:33 , Graig GraziosiNational Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy suggested on Friday that the safety recommendations the agency makes to help reduce transportation risk may not be being implemented.
Over at least the last two years, Homendy has held briefings at major transportation tragedies — like the East Palestine train derailment and the bus crash in Ohio that killed six high school students and injured 18 others — and during each she has explained that her agency makes safety recommendations, but notes that those recommendations are not regulations.
She did the same on Friday.
“We did issue a set of recommendations to improve safety,” Homendy said when asked about the possibility of Thursday’s crash resulting in new regulations on tour helicopters. “Those are recommendations, not regulations.”
In order for the agency’s recommendations to become regulations, law makers would need to act on the suggestions made by the NTSB.
WATCH: NTSB says they're still looking for cause of Hudson chopper crash
22:01 , Graig GraziosiNTSB boss says organization does not know a preliminary cause of the Hudson River crash, and won't speculate
21:22 , Graig GraziosiNational Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said on Friday that the agency does “not have a preliminary cause” to explain the helicopter crash that killed six on Thursday.
A 17-person team of investigators has been tasked with figuring out exactly why the helicopter fell apart in mid-air before it crashed into the waters of the Hudson River.
“We will not speculate on cause – ever – but will not be determining any sort of preliminary or probable cause at the scene of an accident,” Homendy said.
She confirmed that divers are still collecting pieces of the aircraft from the Hudson River.
“We are looking for the main rotor and the tail rotor right now,” she said during a press briefing on Friday.
Three people killed and one injured in Florida plane crash one day after fatal Hudson River helicopter crash
20:50 , Graig GraziosiThree people are dead after a small plane crashed near a major highway in Boca Raton, Florida on Friday afternoon.
The crash occurred one day after a helicopter carrying six people — including three children — crashed into the Hudson River, killing all aboard.
The aircraft, a Cessna 310, crashed around 10.20am after departing from Boca Raton Airport around 10.13am. The plane was heading to Tallahassee International Airport. Data from Flightradar24 showed the plane trying to return to the Boca airport shortly after takeoff.
Officials said the aircraft was experiencing mechanical issues.
Around 12.30pm, police confirmed the people on board did not survive after examining the wreckage on Military Highway. A man in his car was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officials said he drove through a fiery explosion caused by the crash and hit a tree.
READ MORE:
WATCH: Hudson river helicopter propellor 'exploded and scattered,' crash eyewitness says
20:27 , Graig GraziosiHelicopter charter company involved in New York crash that left six dead had previous issues
20:07 , Graig GraziosiThe New York City-based helicopter tour company involved in the deadly crash on Thursday has previous incidents of aircraft malfunctions, according to records with the National Transportation Safety Board.
The company, called New York Helicopter Charter, has been operating helicopter tours of New York City and New Jersey for more than 30 years. The business managed the Bell 206 aircraft that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, killing all six passengers on board.
According to records with NTSB, New York Helicopter Charter was involved in two non-fatal incidents, one in 2013 in which a helicopter’s engine failed while five people were on board and another in 2015 in which a pilot made a “hard landing” while 20 feet in the air.
READ MORE:
Helicopter charter company involved in crash that left six dead had previous issues
An aviation analyst told NBC’s TODAY show on Friday that he does not believe weather contributed to the helicopter crash that killed six people on Thursday.
“There was some sort of sudden inflight failure that occurred to the point where the pilot didn’t have an opportunity to make a forced landing or a mayday call, so something happened abruptly,” Jeff Guzzetti said.
The analyst said that investigators were looking at potential hardware issues that could have contributed to or caused the crash.
“We’re looking at some sort of hardware issue that perhaps could have been prompted by an inappropriate pilot response, which could have been prompted by something like a bird strike. We just don’t know yet,” he said.
Former pilot who flew for New York Helicopter says the company was diligent about mechanical upkeep
19:00 , Graig GraziosiA former pilot and flight trainer for New York Helicopter — the company that owned the chopper that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six occupants — said the business had been diligent about safety during his time flying with the group.
“ Our maintenance was always on point,” the pilot, Michael Campbell told Gothamist. “Any issues we had were addressed … and I had a great working relationship with the FAA in Farmingdale [Long Island]. We did our conformity checks, you know, we did our periodic inspections.”
He noted that he had actually flown the Bell 206 helicopter that crashed, and noted that it was on lease from a company called Meridian Helicopter in Louisiana.
Pilot of helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River was a former Navy SEAL
18:33 , Graig GraziosiThe wife of 36-year-old Sean Johnson said he was piloting the helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
Kathryn Johnson spoke to Gothamist about her husband, revealing that he was a former Navy SEAL who “always wanted to fly” and had taken up aviation following his military career.
“ I'm just at loss for words. I don't even know what happened,” Kathryn told the paper on Friday. “It’s just hard right now.”
What we know about victims of Hudson River helicopter crash in New York
17:45 , Graig GraziosiA family of five and the pilot have been identified as the six victims of a fatal helicopter crash in New York, after the aircraft plunged into the Hudson River.
The tourist helicopter broke apart midair on a trip around Manhattan before plummeting into the waters below on Thursday afternoon.
Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy, and their children Agustín, 10, Mercè, 8 and Víctor, 4, were all killed.
The helicopter pilot is yet to be named.
READ MORE:
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What we know about victims of Hudson River helicopter crash in New York
CEO of company that owned the helicopter shocked by the crash, insists inspections were done
17:30 , Graig GraziosiThe CEO of New York Helicopter, Michael Roth, spoke to CBS News about the Hudson River crash involving one of his aircraft.
Roth said investigators have thus far told him nothing about the crash.
“I don’t know anything how this went down,” he said.
Roth also said that he and his wife were “devastated” by the incident.
“My wife hasn’t stopped crying since this afternoon,” he told the broadcaster on Thursday. “We’re a small company. I’m a father and a grandfather, and we’re just devastated. We have no clue what happened.”
When reporters asked him about the inspection protocol at the company, Roth insisted that his company abides by and exceeds safety regulations.
"We follow all the rules and more,” Roth said.
The aftermath of the Hudson River helicopter crash in photos
17:04 , Graig Graziosi
Helicopter plunged into water in 'several pieces', says witness
16:22 , Alex CroftWitnesses have recalled seeing the helicopter plunge in “several pieces” into the Hudson River.
Dani Horbiak was at her Jersey City home when she heard what sounded like "several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air”.
Looking out of the window, she saw the chopper "splash in several pieces into the river”.
Lesley Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey, recalled the helicopter spinning uncontrollable with “a bunch of smoke coming out” before slamming into the water.
‘Obviously mechanical failure’, says pilot of same helicopter model
16:05 , Alex CroftDan Rice, who frequently flies in the same model of helicopter as the one which plummeted into the Hudson River, has said it was “obviously a catastrophic failure” which caused the crash.
Speaking to CBS News, he said: "Obviously, a catastrophic failure of the aircraft. That's very obvious. Booms and noises like that indicate some sort of mechanical issue.”
"There's one video in particular where you see the main component of the helicopter, the fuselage, upside down,” he added. “And what struck me, what scared me, is the main rotor system was gone.
“There's no main rotor on the helicopter. And the tail boom was also gone, and it's just a vessel at that point with no direction."
Rice said he “can’t imagine” what could have led to the tail rotor - the system which prevents the helicopter spinning out of control - from falling off.
“We'll wait for the investigation to give us those details, but from what I've seen, separation of the blades is what caused this chopper to go down. What led to the separation is what we have to find out," he added.
In pictures: The horror crash which has shocked New York City
15:51 , Alex Croft
Lawmaker pushes ban on sightseeing helicopter tours after family dies in crash
15:35 , Alex CroftNew York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal has called for a ban on sightseeing helicopter tours, saying we were “minutes” from disaster had the chopper crashed into the densely-populated ground.
Including the crash on Thursday, 25 people have died in New York City in helicopter sightseeing incidents - all of whom have been onboard the aircraft.
"We averted disaster possibly by just minutes. And that is the concern here. Which is if a helicopter gets in trouble in a densely populated area like Manhattan, the disaster could be far worse," Hoylman-Sigal said according to ABC 7 New York.
"There's no reason to allow tourists and tour flight operators to use our valuable precious airspace," he said, adding: "the danger is that FAA regulates airspace above 500 feet, so the city and state are prohibited from passing laws that make tourist choppers safer. “
The senator has been trying to limit helicopter traffic over the city to first responders, news and necessary transport.
Sightseeing tourist helicopter broke apart midair before plunging into Hudson River: Full timeline
15:20 , Alex CroftA sightseeing tourist helicopter has broken apart midair before plunging into the Hudson River, killing the family of five and pilot on board in the latest horror US aviation disaster.
At around 3.15pm on Thursday, the Bell 206 LongRanger plummeted from the sky and crashed upside-down in the river that divides New York City from New Jersey off the west coast of Manhattan.
Officials confirmed the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists, including three children, died in the tragedy, after FlightRadar24 showed the helicopter had taken off from Manhattan heliport on a sightseeing tour.
Katie Hawkinson, Oliver O'Connell and Tara Cobham cover everything we know so far about the crash:
Eight-year-old child's birthday was on Friday, says NYC mayor
15:00 , Alex CroftNew York City mayor Eric Adams has confirmed the children who tragically died in the helicopter crash were aged 4, 8 and 10, following a number of conflicting reports.
The eight-year-old’s birthday was on Friday, Adams said.
"So this is probably part of the normal tourist attraction of seeing the city from the skyline," he told Fox 5 New York. "But it's just a real unfortunate situation. And our heart goes out to the family members."
Same helicopter company had crash land in 2013
14:48 , Alex CroftThe same company which owns the downed helicopter from Thursday’s crash owned a chopper involved in another crash - in the same river.
A Bell 206 helicopter carrying four Swedish tourists in 2013 lost power and made an emergency landing in the river. It belonged to New York Helicopter Charter.
The pilot and four family members all survived without any injuries reported, after the aircrafts pontoons were deployed before the helicopter landed in the water, the New York Post reported.
Spanish family were celebrating mother's 40th birthday, says Jersey City mayor
14:37 , Alex CroftThe Mayor of New Jersey has said the Spanish family-of-five were celebrating the mother’s 40th birthday.
New York City mayor Eric Adams and media reports in the US and Spain have both claimed one of the children was celebrating a birthday - it is currently unclear whether both are true.
“The Husband was here for a business trip and the family flew out to extend the trip a couple days in NYC,” Steven Fulop said.
“They were celebrating the mom’s 40th bday with the tourist helicopter flight yesterday. The kids were all 11yo and younger.
“The brother in law is flying in this morning and we are working with ME to expedite release of the family to fly back to Spain.
“Take a moment today and think about this family and your family. These situations are always very difficult and sad,” Fulop added.
A little context + I’m sharing this bc life moves quick + we don’t always think about the fact it is unpredictable + extremely fragile. On the helicopter crash. The Husband was here for a business trip + the family flew out to extend the trip a couple days in NYC. They were… https://t.co/E22Y6fM3B3
— Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) April 11, 2025
Pictured: Helicopter's landing skids poke out of the river
14:00 , Alex Croft
Watch: Mayor Eric Adams confirms six deaths in Hudson River crash
08:40 , Oliver O'ConnellWe can sadly confirm there were six deaths in the Hudson River helicopter crash — three adults and three children.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 10, 2025
The crash is under investigation, and our teams will assist with all efforts to understand what happened. pic.twitter.com/YG9vCGkQLY
Siemens releases photo of executive killed in crash
13:29 , Alex Croft
Watch: NYPD confirms on Thursday six deaths in Hudson River helicopter crash as investigations are underway
13:16A history of helicopter crashes in New York City after Hudson River incident
13:02 , Alex CroftAt 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.
The sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the river, killing the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists in the latest U.S. aviation disaster, officials said.
The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Monta, a global manager at an energy technology company, and three children, in addition to the pilot.
Read more:
A history of helicopter crashes in New York City after Hudson River incident
Who was Agustin Escobar?
12:51 , Madeline SherrattThe father of the family who perished in the crash has been named as Agustin Escobar.
According to his LinkedIn page, Escobar worked as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility in a career that spanned over 27 years.
He began his tenure in 1998 as the head of sales and project management of Power Automation systems in Madrid, working his way up to various management positions before being named Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure last October.
He previously served as the CEO of Siemens Spain.
On his profile, Escobar said that he was now based in Berlin.
Just a day before the crash, Escobar posted about his company’s latest rail project being launched in the UK.
“What an inspiring example of investment in rail infrastructure and technology! Looking forward to seeing the innovation that will emerge from this new center,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
A Siemens spokesperson provided a statement to The Independent Friday: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.”
The company confirmed to The Independent that both Escobar and Montal were their employees.
Helicopter owner 'absolutely devastated' by tragedy
12:42 , Alex CroftThe 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.”
Helicopter flight path mapped
12:33 , Alex CroftIn pictures: Aftermath of Thursday's horror crash
12:23 , Alex Croft
Trump says Transport Sec Duffy working on case - ICYMI
12:03 , Alex CroftPresident Donald Trump has sent his condolences to the family and friends of the victims and said that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his department are working on the case.
The president wrote on Truth Social:
Terrible helicopter crash in the Hudson River. Looks like six people, the pilot, two adults, and three children, are no longer with us. The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and his talented staff are on it. Announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!
Family was on holiday for child's birthday before crash - report
11:45 , Alex CroftThe Spanish family-of-five which died in yesterday’s crash were in New York to celebrate one of the children’s birthdays, according to Diario.es.
Pictures circulating on social media appear to show the family standing outside the helicopter shortly before taking the trip.
Victim has close ties to FC Barcelona - report
11:35 , Alex CroftOne of the victims of the crash, Mercè Camprubí Montal, was the granddaughter of FC Barcelona’s former president.
Montal was also the sister of Joan Camprubí, part of an opposition group within the club against the current leadership structured headed by Joan Laporta, Diario.es reports.
Agustí Montal Costa, a Spanish econommist and businessman who descended from a family of Catalan cotton textile manufacturers, held the presidency of Barcelona from 1969 until 1977.
He was behind the world-record fee signing of Johan Cruyff, one of the most impactful and historically significant signings in the club’s history.
Spanish regional government officials express 'sorrow and dismay' over crash
11:27 , Alex CroftCatalan regional officials have expressed their “sorrow” after a family of five from the area died in Thursday’s horror helicopter crash.
"(I am) dismayed by the tragic helicopter accident in the Hudson River in New York which cost the lives of six people, five of which were members of a Barcelona family," Catalan regional president Salvador Illa wrote on X.
Another regional official said Agustin Escobar was originally from Puertollano, a town in central Spain.
"I want to express my sorrow for the traffic helicopter accident in New York that claimed the lives of Agustin Escobar and his family," Castilla La Mancha regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page wrote on X. "Agustin is native of Puertollano and in 2023 we named him a Favorite Son of Castilla La Mancha."
What do we know about the helicopter pilot?
11:13 , Alex CroftOne of the victims who died onboard the flight was the helicopter pilot, who is yet to be formally identified by authorities.
He is believed to be a 36-year-old male, reports the Daily Mail.
The pilot reportedly warned he needed to refuel just moments before the aircraft disintegrated midair, according to the outlet.
It was flying for roughly 18 minutes before it nose-dived into the water.
Pictured: Spanish couple who died alongside children in crash
11:02 , Alex Croft.jpeg)
Watch: Footage of aftermath following fatal helicopter crash
10:48 , Alex CroftSiemens confirms wife of former CEO was also high-ranking employee
10:27 , Alex Croft, Madeline SherrattSiemens has now confirmed that two of its employees died in the horror helicopter crash.
The Germany-based tech company had earlier confirmed that former CEO of Siemens Spain, Agustin Escobar, died in the crash alongside his family.
Spokesperson Christoph Erhard has now confirmed to The Independent that Mercè Camprubi Montal, Agustin’s wife, was a high-ranking employee for Siemens Energy.
"Augustin Escobar was Global CEO Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. Before he took this role in October 2024, he was CEO Siemens Spain und Siemens Mobility Spain for one year,” Erhard said.
“Agustin’s spouse Mercè Camprubi Montal was Global Commercialization Manager - Team Digital with Siemens Energy."
What we know about victims of Hudson River helicopter crash in New York
10:16 , Alex CroftSix people, including a couple, their three children, and the pilot, have been identified as the victims aboard the helicopter that plunged into the Hudson River on April 10.
The Spanish family and the pilot were killed after the tourist helicopter broke apart midair and plunged upside-down into the water in Lower Manhattan.
Debris was captured by passers-by, flailing in the air as the tragedy unfolded.
Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy, and their children, aged 4, 5, and 11, were named by a person briefed on the investigation to The Associated Press.
Madeline Sherratt reports:
What we know about victims of Hudson River helicopter crash in New York
Helicopter plunged into water in 'several pieces', says witness
10:08 , Alex CroftWitnesses have recalled seeing the helicopter plunge in “several pieces” into the Hudson River.
Dani Horbiak was at her Jersey City home when she heard what sounded like "several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air”.
Looking out of the window, she saw the chopper "splash in several pieces into the river”.
Lesley Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey, recalled the helicopter spinning uncontrollable with “a bunch of smoke coming out” before slamming into the water.
Pilot and family with three children killed after helicopter crashes in Hudson River near midtown ManhattanFull report:
09:57 , Alex CroftSix people are dead after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
A family of Spanish tourists, including two adults and three children were on board, as well as the pilot, New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed at a press conference.
Four of those on board were pronounced dead at the scene, while another two died in a local hospital, authorities confirmed.
Five of the victims late Thursday were identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a global manager at an energy technology company, and their three children, a person briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press.
Ariana Baio reports from New York:
Pilot and family with three kids killed after helicopter crashes off Manhattan
Siemens Mobility 'deeply saddened' by death of CEO
09:30 , Alex CroftSiemens Mobility, the company for which helicopter crash victim Agustin Escobar was CEO, has said it is “deeply saddened” to learn of his death.
Escobar, who was the chief of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility - the train transportation arm of Germany-based technology company Siemens - was killed alongside four members of his family.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives," the spokesperson told The Independent.
Mapped: Flight path of the helicopter before Thursday's fatal crash
09:18 , Alex CroftHere’s what we know so far about the deadly helicopter crash
09:13 , Oliver O'ConnellSix 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:
Everything we know about the Hudson River helicopter crash after six people killed
Lawmaker calls for ban on tourist helicopters
08:59 , Alex CroftNew York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal has called for a ban on sightseeing helicopter tours, saying we were “minutes” from disaster had the chopper crashed into the densely-populated ground.
Including the crash on Thursday, 25 people have died in New York City in helicopter sightseeing incidents - all of whom have been onboard the aircraft.
"We averted disaster possibly by just minutes. And that is the concern here. Which is if a helicopter gets in trouble in a densely populated area like Manhattan, the disaster could be far worse," Hoylman-Sigal said according to ABC 7 New York.
"There's no reason to allow tourists and tour flight operators to use our valuable precious airspace," he said, adding: "the danger is that FAA regulates airspace above 500 feet, so the city and state are prohibited from passing laws that make tourist choppers safer. “
The senator has been trying to limit helicopter traffic over the city to first responders, news and necessary transport.
FDNY: Divers immediately deployed into river for rescue operation
08:45 , Oliver O'ConnellThe 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.
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… pic.twitter.com/8oT26WrVzf
— FDNY (@FDNY) April 10, 2025
Spanish PM: This is an unimaginable tragedy
08:37 , Alex CroftSpanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has commented on the “unimaginable tragedy” in the Hudson River, after a Spanish family of five were killed in the crash.
Sanchez said in an X post: “The news reaching us today of the helicopter crash in the Hudson River is devastating.
“Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives.
“An unimaginable tragedy. I share in the grief of the victims' loved ones at this heartbreaking time.”
Las noticias que hoy nos llegan del accidente de helicóptero en el río Hudson son devastadoras.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 10, 2025
Cinco españoles de una misma familia, tres de ellos niños, y el piloto han perdido la vida. Una tragedia inimaginable.
Acompaño en el dolor a los allegados de las víctimas en este…
Watch: Moment of Hudson helicopter crash captured on flight tracker
08:31 , Alex Croft‘Obviously mechanical failure’, says pilot of same helicopter model
08:24 , Alex CroftDan Rice, who frequently flies in the same model of helicopter as the one which plummeted into the Hudson River, has said it was “obviously a catastrophic failure” which caused the crash.
Speaking to CBS News, he said: "Obviously, a catastrophic failure of the aircraft. That's very obvious. Booms and noises like that indicate some sort of mechanical issue.”
"There's one video in particular where you see the main component of the helicopter, the fuselage, upside down,” he added. “And what struck me, what scared me, is the main rotor system was gone.
“There's no main rotor on the helicopter. And the tail boom was also gone, and it's just a vessel at that point with no direction."
Rice said he “can’t imagine” what could have led to the tail rotor - the system which prevents the helicopter spinning out of control - from falling off.
“We'll wait for the investigation to give us those details, but from what I've seen, separation of the blades is what caused this chopper to go down. What led to the separation is what we have to find out," he added.
In pictures: Rescue efforts continue into the night after four bodies recovered
08:13 , Alex Croft
No air traffic control at time of crash, says Duffy
08:06 , Alex CroftNo air traffic control services were being provided at the time of the helicopter crash into the Hudson River, transport secretary Sean Duffy has said.
This is because it was flying through a Special Flight Rules Area, a airspace where typical flight rules may be modified or do not apply, sometimes for reasons of national security.
Crash was due to 'mechanical failure' not weather, says meteorologist and pilot
07:58 , Alex CroftA pilot and meteorologist has said the helicopter crash was a result of a “mechanical failure”, despite early reports that weather conditions may have played a role.
Nick Gregory, Fox 5 NY’s meteorologist and a trained pilot, said video footage of the crash makes it "quite clear some sort of catastrophic failure happened exactly mid-flight”.
Mechanical faults rather than environmental factors were the cause of the crash, Gregory told the network, pointing out that the weather was deteriorating “during the recovery process”.
It is likely that the rotor blades separated from the air craft making it impossible for the helicopter to maintain lift, Gregory explained.
When this happens, Gregory added, there is “no power at all, no way to be able to control the situation”.
Where did the helicopter crash?
07:30 , Oliver O'ConnellDespite 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.
We’re following reports of a helicopter crash in the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey. At this time, based on ADS-B data and the location of SAR activity, we believe the aircraft involved to be N216MH, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV.https://t.co/hp2b2oU5Vc pic.twitter.com/kGLiU7V6rc
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) April 10, 2025
Witnesses describe helicopter 'breaking apart in mid-air' before nosediving
07:24 , Alex CroftWitnesses have described seeing the helicopter “breaking apart in mid-air” before nosediving into the water below.
Bruce Wall, a 28-year-old Jersey City resident, said: “It was falling apart probably 15 feet before it actually fell and then the tail whipped off and the propeller fell while it was falling.
“Like a boom sound when it hit, it was a crackling sound I guess you could say, something breaking apart in mid-air,” he added according to New York Times.
“The helicopter was still pretty loud and then just a loud, loud crash into water.”
An unnamed woman said in quotes heard on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “One of the propellers broke, the other one just flew. Basically, the helicopter was a little bit nose down slightly, it kept spinning in the air. The helicopter just fell.”
A history of helicopter accidents in New York City
07:00 , Oliver O'ConnellAt 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.
Here’s a look at similar accidents over the years:
