Collision of Plane, Helicopter Over Hudson Leaves 9 Dead
A small plane collided with a tourist helicopter over the Hudson River Friday on crystal clear summer afternoon, ripping the rotor blades from the helicopter and severing one of the plane’s wings, sending both aircraft plunging into the murky water and killing all nine people on board.
Witnesses to the crash described how the debris from the two aircraft disappeared within seconds beneath the water’s surface, and rescue workers soon determined there were no survivors.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said the plane, which had just left from Teterboro, New Jersey, was carrying a pilot and two passengers, including a child. The helicopter, which had just taken off from Manhattan’s West 30th Street heliport, carried a pilot and five Italian tourists. The crash occurred around noon.