Thursday, April 10, 2025 9:11PM
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JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) — Six people were killed after a helicopter believed to be carrying a family of tourists from Spain crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
The crash was reported just before 3:30 p.m. closer to the Jersey City side of the Hudson.
In addition to the family of five — two adults and three children — a pilot was also on board, for a total of six people.
Video shared with Eyewitness News appeared to show pieces of the helicopter break apart and crash into the water.
Video shows the moments before a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River.
When crews arrived the helicopter was upside down in the water.
“I watched it fall out of the sky! I heard five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and saw pieces fall off, then watched it fall into the river,” said Dani Horbiak, who saw the crash from her apartment window.
The FAA believes the helicopter is a Bell 206 and appears to have taken off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 p.m. It went off radar at 3:25 p.m.
Another witness told Eyewitness News that he saw the helicopter crash.
“I heard a loud snap … I looked over … and I could see a helicopter falling on its side and splash into the water,” the witness said. “I didn’t see anyone come out.”
Sandra Bookman talks to an eyewitness to the helicopter crash in the Hudson River.
Sara Jean Raymond was practicing for a half marathon and saw the helicopter go down.
“I was in shock. I tried to call 911, I could not reach anyone. They were very fast though,” she said. “I don’t know what happened, if the people survived or anything, but oh my God, you don’t see that very often.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said tours in the area are constant and fall within a busy and heavily trafficked area. He hopes this will increase the dialogue to decrease traffic.
He said they have been reaching out to federal representatives for years for help, with residents often complaining about noise impediments from all the helicopters.
“Hopefully that this brings some more attention to it, that the fact beyond just noise, you have real safety concerns,” Fulop said.
The Coast Guard said it has stopped vessel traffic in the area and established a safety zone.
The NYPD said to expect emergency vehicles and traffic delays in the vicinity of the West Side Highway and Spring Street.
At least 32 people have died in helicopter crashes in NYC since 1977 — most recently in 2019 when a helicopter used for executive travel hit the roof of Manhattan skyscraper in restricted airspace and the pilot was killed.
Lauren Glassberg has breaking details from the banks of the Hudson River in Jersey City.
This is breaking news. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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