US helicopter crashes into river, 6 dead

The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 10 when a tourist helicopter of New York Helicopters Tours lost control and crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the crash killed all six people on board, including the pilot, two adults and three children. The passengers were believed to be a Spanish family.

Video posted on social media shows the helicopter falling freely and spinning in the air. Several parts, including what appeared to be the propeller blades, were thrown off.

According toFlightRadar24The crashed helicopter was a Bell 206L-4 manufactured in 2004, licensed to fly in 2016 and valid until 2029.

The helicopter departed from a landing strip in Lower Manhattan about 15 minutes before the crash and flew north along the Hudson River to take in the scenery, New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The helicopter approached the George Washington Bridge, turned south and crashed a few minutes later.

"I heard five or six loud sounds like gunshots in the sky, then debris and the helicopter fell," said witness Dani Horbiak.

"The helicopter went down at a 45-degree angle. There was a loud noise, very scary," witness Eric Campoverde described.

The cause of the incident is unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board announced that they will open an investigation.