Helicopter crashes into New York’s Hudson River: authorities – National

A helicopter crashed Thursday into the Hudson River just off Manhattan, authorities said. There were no immediate reports on injuries or fatalities.

The fire department said it received a report of a helicopter in the water at 3:17 p.m.

Videos posted on social media showed the aircraft mostly submerged, upside down in the water. The fire department said it had units on scene performing rescue operations. Multiple rescue boats were seen on video circling the aircraft.

The rescue craft were near a site close to the Manhattan waterfront, near the end of a long maintenance pier for one of the ventilation towers for the Holland Tunnel. Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles were on streets near the scene with their lights flashing.

The New York Police Department said on social media there were traffic delays in the surrounding area of  “a helicopter crash in the Hudson River.”

The skies over Manhattan are routinely filled with both planes and helicopters, both private recreational aircraft and commercial and tourist flights. Manhattan has several helipads that whisk business executives and others to destinations throughout the metropolitan area.

Over the years, there have been multiple crashes, including a collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson River in 2009 that killed nine people and the 2018 crash of a charter helicopter offering “open door” flights that went down into the East River, killing five people.

More to come…