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Six Dead in Helicopter Crash on the Hudson River

File image courtesy iStock / Simon van Hemert
File image courtesy iStock / Simon van Hemert

Published Apr 10, 2025 6:15 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Six people are reported dead after a small helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday, according to local first responders. The victims included three children. 

At about 1515 hours, a helicopter went down in the Hudson near Pier 40 with six people aboard (early reports incorrectly reported five individuals). A bystander video circulating on social media appears to show the aircraft plummeting upside-down towards the water, its tail missing and its rotor visibly separated and trailing behind. 

The New York Fire Department and NYPD responded quickly to the scene, bringing response boats and dive teams. Six bodies were recovered from the wreckage, including the remains of the pilot. 

"Our rescue swimmers were in the water shortly after the call and recovered some of the victims," an FDNY spokesman said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. 

Open-source flight tracking data suggests that the aircraft departed the downtown Manhattan heliport and was in the air for about 15 minutes before the crash. Aviation news sites have identified the aircraft as a Bell 206L4, registration number N216MH. The aircraft is registered to a private helicopter sales and leasing company headquartered in Louisiana, and the same helicopter appears in promotional materials for a New York-based flightseeing company. 

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash, in cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). At least one local lawmaker has called for more oversight. 

"This heartbreaking incident was not only devastating—it was foreseeable. For years, I have raised concerns about the dangers posed by non-essential helicopter flights over our city’s densely populated neighborhoods and congested airspace. One of the busiest skies in the nation remains largely unregulated, governed by outdated visual flight rules and minimal oversight. This is unacceptable," said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) in a statement.