A lethal collision within the Hudson River on Thursday got here to be the newest disaster in a prolonged line of helicopter mishaps round New York City, with thrilled vacationers remodeling to the popular vacation spot to acquire a particular viewpoint of theBig Apple
Elaina Latona was among the many quite a few vacationers thrilled to soak up the sights of Manhattan from the air. Latona was welcomed by her good buddy on a closing chopper journey over Manhattan on March 28, a lot lower than 2 weeks previous to the lethal collision.
“I was a little nervous about it because of all the plane accidents that have been happening,” Latona knowledgeableFox 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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A helicopter is seen drifting after it collapsed proper into the Hudson River close to decreased Manhattan, on April 10, 2025 in New York, United States. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu by way of Getty Images)
The 2 good buddies boarded a helicopter in Lower Manhattan and flew, appreciating a panorama of the town.
Two weeks in a while, Latona noticed data of a helicopter collapsing proper into the Hudson River close to Jersey City, New Jersey and understood not simply that it coincided enterprise she flew with, nonetheless it was moreover the exact same airplane she received on.
“I thought, ‘Wow, something could have gone wrong’,” Latona acknowledged. “It’s really sad that it did.”
As data gathered, Latona matched the tail quantity– N216MH– on the downed airplane to pictures she had really taken previous to her helicopter journey. Latona acknowledged completely nothing actually felt out of the common all through her journey, apart from that she “did think the helicopter looked a little older.”
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Elaina Latona boarded the exact same helicopter that dropped proper into the Hudson River merely 2 weeks previous to the horrible collision. (Courtesy of Elaina Latona)
After what could be considered a detailed phone name, Latona is swearing to by no means ever board a helicopter as soon as extra.
“Before finding this out, I left saying I probably would get back on one, and now definitely not,” Latona knowledgeableFox News Digital
Investigators are nonetheless assembling what created the taking within the sights helicopter, employed by New York Helicopter Tours, to dive proper into the Hudson River, eliminating all 6 people onboard.
The 5 company have really been acknowledged as Siemens exec Agustin Escobar, Merc é Camprubi Montal, an influence innovation enterprise worldwide supervisor, and the pair’s 3 youngsters, according to The Associated Press.
The pilot, whose identify has really not been launched, moreover handed away within the collision.
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File picture of the victims of the helicopter collision in New York City, Thursday, April 10, 2025. The members of the family of 5 eradicated within the disaster consisted of Siemens exec Agustin Escobar, his higher half, Merc è Camprub í Montal, a global supervisor at an influence innovation enterprise, and three children. The pilot was moreover eradicated. (New York Helicopter Tours, LLC)
This map reveals the approximate place the place a helicopter collapsed proper into the Hudson River within the mid-day of Thursday, April 10, 2025. Six people have been eradicated within the disaster, based on the Associated Press. (Fox News)
New York Helicopter Tours didn’t immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s ask for comment.
The doomed chopper faraway from a midtown Manhattan airport at round 3 p.m. on Thursday, lugging 5 company and one pilot.
Approximately 15 minutes proper into the journey, the pilot radioed to staffs on the bottom, informing them that the chopper required to rapidly return for gasoline. The kind of airplane– a Bell helicopter 206– can maintain ample gasoline for over 2 hours of flying and staffs are unsure relating to why the helicopter didn’t have ample gasoline, Fox News Digital has really discovered.
However, the helicopter by no means ever went again to the landing location.
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At round 3:17 p.m., authorities began getting 911 phone calls pertaining to a downed airplane within the Hudson River, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledged all through a press convention onThursday
Eyewitnesses reported seeing the chopper’s blades dropping from the airplane because it dropped in direction of the water, rotating frantically.
“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 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 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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A crane vessel raises the wreck of a helicopter that collapsed proper into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (Seth Wenig/ AP)
First -responders from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and New York City Fire Department (FDNY) received to the collision web site inside minutes to attract the victims out of the icy water. Emergency employees tried to hold out lifesaving initiatives on a neighboring pier, nonetheless 4 people have been apparent lifeless on the scene and the others have been apparent lifeless at neighborhood medical services.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams knowledgeable press reporters the members of the family received on a getaway fromSpain
“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 acknowledged.
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New York City is conversant in helicopter collisions, with 6 numerous different occasions reported throughout the metropolis contemplating that 2009.
A helicopter pilot and co-pilot made it by way of after their airplane suffered substantial damages whereas landing at a Manhattan airport in 2021.
Two years beforehand, a helicopter pilot made it by way of after the airplane decreased within theHudson River Weeks in a while, a chopper made use of for exec touring struck the roofing system of a Manhattan high-rise constructing, eliminating the pilot.
In 2018, 5 company have been eradicated after an “open-door” helicopter collapsed proper into theEast River
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Police and firemans service the web site after a helicopter collapsed proper into the Hudson River close to Manhattan, on April 10, 2025 in New York, United States. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu by way of Getty Images)
In 2011, 3 relative handed away after a chopper dove proper into theEast River Two years beforehand, 9 Italian vacationers have been eradicated after their taking within the sights helicopter collapsed proper into theHudson River
In gentle of Thursday’s collision, legislators are asking for reform inside New York City’s airspace.
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is outwardly searching for to restrict journeys over Manhattan to police, contributors of the media and wanted transportation.
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Hoylman-Sigal didn’t immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s ask for comment.
Last yr,Gov Kathy Hochul approved regulation needing an airport on West thirtieth Street in Manhattan to be relocated from Hudson River Park, mentioning safety worries.
“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 added to this file.
