NEW YORK, USA – A tragic incident unfolded Thursday afternoon as a tourist helicopter carrying six individuals – including three children – crashed into the frigid waters of the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan. Authorities confirmed that all six people on board lost their lives.
The helicopter, chartered by New York Helicopters, was reportedly carrying a Spanish family of five alongside the pilot. It had taken off from the Wall Street Heliport at approximately 3:00 p.m. local time and was in the air for just over 15 minutes before the fatal plunge into the river off Hoboken, New Jersey.
According to Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, the aircraft – a Bell 206 model – was on its sixth flight of the day. Witnesses described horrifying scenes as the helicopter spiraled downward with parts visibly detaching mid-air.
“I saw pieces fall off and then the helicopter fell out of the sky,” said Dani Horbiak, a nearby resident who witnessed the crash from her apartment. Another eyewitness likened the sounds to gunfire or a sonic boom, saying the rotor split mid-air before the aircraft crashed inverted into the Hudson.
Rescue teams responded swiftly, but the helicopter was already submerged upside down in 50-degree waters by the time they arrived. Jersey City Medical Center made intense efforts to resuscitate the victims but to no avail.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City expressed condolences, stating, “Our hearts go out to the family and those on board.”
The Spanish Consulate in New York has been in contact with local officials and is working with Spain’s Foreign Ministry to identify the victims and provide support to the grieving families. The crash has once again sparked conversations around the volume of helicopter traffic over New York’s rivers and the need for stricter safety regulations.
As Jersey City Police Department takes the lead on the investigation, Mayor Fulop emphasized that prior concerns about air traffic over the Hudson must now receive urgent federal attention.
This heartbreaking development marks one of the deadliest non-commercial helicopter crashes in New York City in recent years.
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