NEW YORK: Six people were killed in a helicopter crash that occurred in the Hudson River in New York City, according to reports from US authorities.
The incident took place at 3:17 p.m. local time, when emergency services received a call about a helicopter plunging into the river. Videos circulating on social media show the helicopter completely submerged in the water.
Rescue operations are ongoing near Manhattan, with aircraft hovering over the site. The area has previously witnessed similar incidents; in 2009, a tourist helicopter collided with a small plane near the same location, resulting in nine fatalities.
In Thursday’s crash, the victims have been identified. Among them was Agustin Escobar, the CEO and President of Siemens Spain, who died along with his wife and three children.
The family had recently arrived in New York from Barcelona and had taken a photo in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter, which was later uploaded to the New York Helicopter Tours website.
Authorities confirmed that the helicopter belonged to Bell, and investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash. The condition of the pilot remains unknown.
