USA Tourists die in helicopter crash in New York
Three children and three adults have been killed in a helicopter crash into the Hudson River in the middle of the metropolis of New York. The pilot was among the dead, and the other victims were a family, announced Mayor Eric Adams. According to the US aviation safety authority, investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
10.04.2025, 23:37
11.04.2025, 09:58
SDA
According to Adams, preliminary information indicates that all the passengers had traveled from Spain for a visit and were on a sightseeing flight over the metropolis when the helicopter crashed into the river off Manhattan for reasons that are still unclear. It was a family from Barcelona, wrote the head of government of the Spanish region of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, in a post on the X platform. He also expressed his condolences. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed his condolences on X.
Cause of the accident still completely unclear
The cause of the crash on Thursday afternoon (local time) was initially completely unclear. Video footage and photos show the helicopter upside down in the air before it crashes. Michael Roth, whose company owns the helicopter for tourist flights in the city of millions, told the British newspaper "The Telegraph": "He (the pilot) called and said he was going to land and that he needed fuel. It should have taken about three minutes to return, but after 20 minutes he still wasn't there." Another helicopter from the company then set off and saw the crashed helicopter in the Hudson from the air.
Images of the cabin of a helicopter plunging into the water from a great height like a stone went viral on the internet. It was therefore speculated that the helicopter could have broken apart in the air. Emergency crews traveled to the scene of the accident in numerous boats, but all help came too late for the occupants of the Bell 206 helicopter.
Trump: "The footage is terrible"
"The footage of the accident is terrible", wrote US President Donald Trump on the Truth Social platform. He announced that more information on the cause and course of the accident would be available shortly.
According to previous findings, the helicopter took off from downtown Manhattan at around 3 p.m. local time, flew around the southern tip of Manhattan and then along the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey. It turned back at the northern end of Manhattan - a few minutes later, the pilot apparently lost control of the helicopter, which crashed into the river near the New Jersey shore.
Helicopters are part of everyday life in New York
Helicopters are part of the New York cityscape and can be seen all the time, especially in Manhattan. They usually have tourists on board or take wealthy business people to their next appointment or residence just outside the city. For many New Yorkers, this is not only too loud, but also too dangerous. Accidents have repeatedly sparked debates about safety in the densely populated metropolis with more than eight million inhabitants and hundreds of skyscrapers.
Helicopters are only allowed to fly over the center of Manhattan with special permission. Most pilots take off from the edge of the island and fly over the East River and the Hudson. Not far from the current crash site, a pilot made a spectacular emergency landing of a US Airways passenger plane on the Hudson in 2009 without anyone being injured. The spectacular incident made headlines around the world and was later made into a movie.
Accidents happen again and again
A sightseeing flight over New York is a must for thousands of tourists every year. For some, the few minutes over the unique backdrop of Manhattan - for which they pay hundreds of dollars - become the highlight of their vacation. A number of companies also specialize in flights for business people.
However, many residents are disturbed by the hustle and bustle above the city's rooftops. In 2016, the city council, which profits from the business itself with tens of millions of dollars in revenue, tried to reach a compromise: The original number of 60,000 flights per year was halved.
However, accidents continued to occur. In May 2019, for example, an out-of-control helicopter crashed into the Hudson River. The pilot was able to save himself by jumping into the water. A short time later, a helicopter crashed onto the roof of a high-rise building and burst into flames.
