NEW YORK (PIX11) – A helicopter flying from Manhattan broke apart mid-air on Thursday afternoon, falling into the Hudson River and killing a family of tourists along with the pilot, officials said.
Mayor Eric Adams said the flight began at a downtown Manhattan heliport around 3 p.m.
The victims were all killed in the crash. Crews recovered all bodies and removed them from the water, officials said.
A video of the crash indicated that a “catastrophic mechanical failure” left the pilot with no opportunity to save the helicopter, said Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine Corps helicopter pilot.
During a phone interview from his Manhattan apartment, a witness told PIX11 News, “The helicopter was flying when, out of the blue, the blades came off. It just dropped and didn’t fly much after the blades came off. It kind of just dropped as is,” Avi Rakesh said.
By 8 p.m., recovery crews lifted the mangled helicopter from the water after using a floating crane, video obtained by PIX11 News showed.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.
This story comprises reporting from The Associated Press and Finn Hoogensen.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
English (US) ·