Six people, including three children, lost their lives when a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near New York City on Thursday afternoon. The victims were a family visiting from Spain and the pilot of the aircraft. The incident occurred near Pier 40 and was confirmed by the New York City Mayor, as reported by CNN.

The helicopter involved was a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV that had taken off from Lower Manhattan. It reportedly circled the Statue of Liberty and continued flying north along the Hudson River toward the George Washington Bridge before turning south again. It then crashed into the river near the New Jersey shoreline. According to eyewitness accounts cited by the Associated Press, the aircraft broke apart midair, with its tail and rotor reportedly detaching before impact.

The main rotor and tail boom separated mid-air. Rotor blades were fully detached from the fuselage but continued spinning as they fell.#HudsonRiver #HelicopterCrash #Breaking pic.twitter.com/xrMUQ5SMRr

— Turbine Traveller (@Turbinetraveler) April 10, 2025

The New York Fire Department responded to the crash shortly after 3 p.m. local time. The New York City Police Department issued a warning to residents and commuters, advising of increased emergency presence and potential traffic disruptions around the West Side Highway and Spring Street.

Weather conditions at the time of the crash were cloudy with wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph and gusts reaching 25 mph. Although light rain was expected, visibility over the river remained clear.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash and stated that it is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation. Footage from the incident has been described as distressing, and U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the tragedy on his Truth Social platform.