NYC Mayor Says Family of Spanish Tourists Died in Helicopter Crash Into Hudson River

NEW YORK – NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams says a family of Spanish tourists, including three children, died Thursday in a helicopter crash in the Hudson River that killed six people.

Adams said all of the dead have been recovered and removed from the water.

The helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the river between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront. It was the latest high-profile aviation disaster in the U.S., following other recent accidents in Washington and Philadelphia.

A tragic helicopter crash into the Hudson River near Manhattan on Thursday afternoon has claimed the lives of six people, according to an Associated Press source. The New York City Fire Department received an emergency report at 3:17 p.m. about a helicopter down in the water, and rescue units were quickly dispatched to the scene.

Videos posted on social media showed the helicopter mostly submerged and upside down in the river. The fire department confirmed it had dispatched rescue craft to the area, with multiple boats seen circling the wreckage. Emergency crews also rushed to the location, which is near the end of a long maintenance pier for one of the ventilation towers for the nearby Holland Tunnel. Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles were stationed along streets close to the scene, with their lights flashing.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, but the incident highlights the risks associated with the dense air traffic over Manhattan, which is home to several helipads used for both commercial and private flights. The city regularly sees a mix of private helicopters, business flights, and tourist helicopters flying over the river.

This crash is the latest in a series of aviation tragedies over the years in the area. Notably, a plane and helicopter collision over the Hudson River in 2009 resulted in the deaths of nine people. In 2018, a charter helicopter offering “open door” flights crashed into the East River, killing five.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Thursday’s crash.
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Bloomberg's Myles Miller reports the latest on a helicopter that has crashed into the Hudson River according to the NYFD. ABC News also reports fatalities in the crash.

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JUST IN: Helicopter with 4 people on boards plummets from the air and crash lands in the Hudson River.

This is bizarre. What could cause this?pic.twitter.com/cCJFGVgfbu

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) April 10, 2025