15 local time. Unfortunately, all six passengers, including the pilot and the CEO of a Spanish Siemens subsidiary along with his family, lost their lives in the incident.
Emergency services from the New York and New Jersey fire departments and police departments responded immediately to the crash and deployed several boats to the scene. Four of the victims died at the site of the accident, while the other two were taken to nearby hospitals and later pronounced dead.
Initial reports suggest that the family had only been in the city for a few hours and had booked the helicopter tour as a tourist attraction. The helicopter was about 17 minutes into its flight from the heliport near Wall Street when the crash occurred.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an immediate investigation into the incident. Eyewitnesses reported that the helicopter started to spin out of control before crashing into the river at high speed. One witness claimed that a rotor blade broke off during the flight, while another suggested that a bird strike might have been the cause. Videos of the crash have been circulating on social media.
The owner of the helicopter company confirmed that the pilot requested an emergency landing shortly before the crash. The investigation will determine whether fuel shortage or a technical malfunction played a role.
Helicopter operations in New York City
Helicopter flights are an integral part of the cityscape in New York. They are used for both tourist sightseeing tours and business transportation. In the past, there have been several accidents, which have repeatedly sparked debates about safety standards.
The city government had already taken measures in 2016 to reduce the number of flights, but the safety situation remains controversial. Experts are now calling for stricter regulations for air traffic over the metropolis.
US President Donald Trump commented on the tragedy on the Truth Social platform, stating: “The footage is horrifying. More accurate information on the cause will follow shortly.”
The crash serves as a reminder of past accidents in the area. In 2019, a pilot had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River, but he managed to escape. The most spectacular incident occurred in 2009, when a US Airways passenger plane successfully landed on the river after a bird strike and all passengers survived.