A sightseeing trip over Manhattan turned into unimaginable horror Thursday afternoon when a helicopter carrying a family of Spanish tourists suddenly broke apart mid-air, plunging into the frigid Hudson River and killing all six people aboard.
BREAKING: Six people confirmed dead after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River.
Various sections of the helicopter broke off mid-air and landed separately in the river.
Pray for the victims and their families 🙏🏻pic.twitter.com/8qAoeukpj6
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 10, 2025
Witnesses described hearing terrifying loud bangs, like gunshots or a sonic boom, around 3:15 p.m. before seeing vital parts, including the tail rotor and a main blade, rip off the Bell 206 helicopter. The aircraft then spiraled helplessly into the water near Governor’s Island on the New Jersey side of the river.
The victims included the pilot and five passengers: two adults and their three children, visiting from Spain. They had reportedly taken off from Lower Manhattan for a quick tour of the iconic skyline, including the Statue of Liberty. It was the chopper’s sixth flight of the day.
First responders rushed to the scene, pulling the victims from the wreckage found upside-down in the chilly 50-degree water near the Holland Tunnel ventilation shafts. Mayor Eric Adams was also spotted at the chaotic scene as recovery efforts got underway.
The chopper, owned by Louisiana-based Meridian Helicopters, was a Bell 206 model, generally known for its reliability, according to aviation experts. What caused the catastrophic mid-air disintegration remains unknown.
Federal investigators from the FAA and likely the NTSB are now tasked with piecing together what led to the devastating failure that cut short six lives in a horrifying instant over the Hudson.
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