NYC helicopter crash in Hudson River shines light on sightseeing dangers
A fatal crash in the Hudson River on Thursday became the latest tragedy in a long line of helicopter accidents around New York City, with excited tourists turning to the popular attraction to get a unique vantage point of the Big Apple.
Elaina Latona was one of the countless sightseers excited to take in the views of Manhattan from the air. Latona was invited by her friend on a last-minute chopper ride over Manhattan on March 28, less than two weeks before the fatal crash.
"I was a little nervous about it because of all the plane accidents that have been happening," Latona told Fox News Digital. "They gave us little tiny life jackets. And I even said, if anything were to happen, how would this save me?"
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The two friends boarded a helicopter in Lower Manhattan and took flight, enjoying a scenic view of the city.
Two weeks later, Latona saw reports of a helicopter crashing into the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey and realized not only that it was the same company she flew with, but it was also the same aircraft she was on.
"I thought, ‘Wow, something could have gone wrong’," Latona said. "It's really sad that it did."
As reports poured in, Latona matched the tail number – N216MH – on the downed aircraft to photos she had taken before her helicopter ride. Latona said nothing felt out of the ordinary during her flight, except that she "did think the helicopter looked a little older."
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After what could be considered a close call, Latona is vowing to never board a helicopter again.
"Before finding this out, I left saying I probably would get back on one, and now definitely not," Latona told Fox News Digital.
Investigators are still piecing together what caused the sightseeing helicopter, chartered by New York Helicopter Tours, to plunge into the Hudson River, killing all six people onboard.
The five passengers have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, Mercé Camprubi Montal, an energy technology company global manager, and the couple’s three young children, according to The Associated Press.
The pilot, whose name has not been released, also died in the crash.
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New York Helicopter Tours did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The doomed chopper took off from a downtown Manhattan heliport at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday, carrying five passengers and one pilot.
Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, the pilot radioed to crews on the ground, alerting them that the chopper needed to urgently return for fuel. The type of aircraft – a Bell helicopter 206 – can hold enough fuel for over two hours of flying and crews are unsure as to why the helicopter did not have enough fuel, Fox News Digital has learned.
However, the helicopter never returned to the landing area.
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At approximately 3:17 p.m., authorities began receiving 911 calls regarding a downed aircraft in the Hudson River, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the chopper’s rotor falling from the aircraft as it plummeted toward the water, spinning uncontrollably.
"The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter," New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth told the New York Post. "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."
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First responders from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and New York City Fire Department (FDNY) arrived at the crash site within minutes to pull the victims out of the frigid water. Emergency personnel attempted to administer lifesaving efforts on a nearby pier, but four people were pronounced dead at the scene and the others were pronounced dead at local hospitals.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters the family was on a vacation from Spain.
"We had over 65 million people that visited our city last year, and just think about it, you're on a vacation, you're with your family, you want to experience New York from the sky, and something like this happens. It's heartbreaking to everyone," Adams said.
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New York City is no stranger to helicopter crashes, with six other incidents reported within the city since 2009.
A helicopter pilot and co-pilot survived after their aircraft sustained significant damage while landing at a Manhattan helipad in 2021.
Two years earlier, a helicopter pilot survived after the aircraft went down in the Hudson River. Weeks later, a chopper used for executive travel struck the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper, killing the pilot.
In 2018, five passengers were killed after an "open-door" helicopter crashed into the East River.
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In 2011, three family members died after a chopper plunged into the East River. Two years earlier, nine Italian tourists were killed after their sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River.
In light of Thursday’s crash, lawmakers are calling for reform within New York City’s airspace.
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is reportedly looking to restrict flights over Manhattan to law enforcement, members of the media and necessary transport.
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Hoylman-Sigal did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation requiring a helipad on West 30th Street in Manhattan to be moved from Hudson River Park, citing safety concerns.
"We averted disaster possibly by just minutes," Hoylman-Sigal told ABC 7. "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."
Fox News Digital's Jacqliene Mangini and The Associated Press contributed to this report.