CNN —
Six people – including three children – are dead after a passenger helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The passengers included a pilot and a family visiting from Spain, he said.
At 3:17 p.m., multiple 911 calls reported a helicopter crash in the Hudson River near the New Jersey coastline at Pier A Park in Hoboken, New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. When first responders arrived, police pulled four people out of the water and FDNY pulled out two people, she said.
Four victims were declared dead on scene while an additional two people were taken to local hospitals, where they were declared dead, Tisch said.
“Our hearts go out to the family of those who were on board,” Adams said.
The helicopter, operated by the tour company New York Helicopter Charter, is currently submerged in the river.
FlightRadar24 reported the aircraft to be a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, based on ADS-B tracking data. It was built in 2004 and had an airworthiness certificate issued in 2016 that was good until 2029, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. There was no information immediately available on the pilot, according to Adams.
The helicopter took off from the downtown Manhattan heliport at 2:59 p.m., where it flew south before turning to fly north along the Manhattan shoreline, up the Hudson River, Tisch said. At 3:08 p.m., the helicopter reached the George Washington Bridge and then turned to fly south along the New Jersey shoreline, where shortly after it lost control, she said.
When the helicopter hit the water, officials believe it was inverted, leaving the cabin visible in the water, Tisch said. Reports that the helicopter stopped in mid-air and pieces of the helicopoter were falling off before it hit the water is consistent with 911 reports, she said. The cause of the crash is under investigation, she said.
The helicopter flew for about 16 minutes before going down into the water, according to analysis by CNN and flight tracking site FlightRadar 24.
The flight path reflects much of what officials said, showing the aircraft took off from lower Manhattan and did a circle near the Statue of Liberty before flying up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge at about 1000 feet. At that point it turned back south, ultimately coming to rest in the water near New Jersey.
The path up the Hudson is a popular sightseeing route.
When the helicopter crashed, it was cloudy with winds around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph according to various weather reports in the area.
Visibility at the surface was good — 10 miles — but it was cloudy as a system is moving into the region, bringing light rain to the region this afternoon and evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it is investigating the situation alongside the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is leading the investigation and will provide updates.
“A Bell 206 helicopter crashed and is submerged in the Hudson River in New York City,” the FAA said in a statement.
CNN’s Alexandra Skores, Matt Stiles and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
