Helicopter crashes in New York City’s Hudson River; 6 dead

NEW YORK (PIX11) – Six people, including three children, died after a helicopter crashed in the Hudson River near the New Jersey coastline Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

A Bell 206 helicopter belonging to a tour company crashed in the water near Jersey City and Hoboken around 3:15 p.m., according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

The helicopter crashed around 15 minutes after it took off from the Downtown Skyport in Lower Manhattan, authorities said.

All six people on board the helicopter, including the pilot and a family from Spain, died in the crash, officials said. The identities of the victims haven’t been released.

“Our hearts go out to the family of those who were on board,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

The fire department said it had units on scene performing rescue operations. Several emergency crews were seen responding to the area in another video, which you can watch below:

The crash prompted a large emergency response, including first responders from New York and New Jersey.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she offered assistance to the NYPD and FDNY in their recovery effort.

“I join all New Yorkers in praying for those we’ve lost and their families,” Hochul said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the New Jersey State Police, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and other local first responders assisted in the emergency response.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.