Topline
A helicopter crashed in the Hudson River in New York City, police officials said Thursday, though the cause of the crash was not initially reported.
Key Facts
The New York Police Department said in a post on X just before 3:40 p.m. EDT the crash was “in the vicinity of the West Side Highway and Spring Street” and said people can “expect emergency vehicles and traffic delays in the surrounding areas.”
The fire department received a report of a helicopter in the water at 3:17 p.m. EDT and has units on scene for rescue operations, the New York Fire Department told Forbes.
Two people briefed on rescue efforts told The New York Times five people—three children and two adults—were pulled from the water, though their conditions were unknown.
Forbes reached out to the New York Police Department for more information.
This story is developing and will be updated.
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How Many People Were On Board?
Officials have not yet given information on how many people were on board or what kind of helicopter it was. The New York Times reported there are often tourist helicopters flying over the river taking tourists through Lower Manhattan and New Jersey.
Key Background
New York City has seen a number of helicopter crashes in recent decades, with incidents killing at least 32 people from 1977 to 2019, the Associated Press reported. In 2018, a private charter helicopter crashed in New York’s East River and killed all five passengers onboard, though the pilot survived. In the years after the crash, the National Transportation Security Board determined the cause of the crash was that “a tether from a safety harness worn by a passenger in the front seat got caught on a floor-mounted fuel lever.” In 2019, there were two helicopter crashes in New York City, one of which was fatal, according to the AP.
Further Reading
Helicopter crashes into the Hudson River near Jersey City (CBS)
NYPD responding to helicopter in Hudson River (ABC7 New York)
