A helicopter has crashed into the Hudson River in New York City. The Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV went down in the river between Hoboken, NJ and West Village in Manhattan.
The helicopter was flying in the vicinity of Hoboken on the New Jersey side of the river and West Village in Lower Manhattan when the incident occurred. ADS-B data appears to indicate that the helicopter was a civilian aircraft with the registration number N216MH.
The aircraft, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, is owned by Meridian Helicopters LLC out of Broussard, Louisiana.
Overcast conditions were present and rain was in the area at the time that the incident occurred. No official information has been released regarding the number of passengers onboard or their condition though the Associated Press is reporting that six people died in the crash.
The FAA released a statement saying, “A Bell 206 helicopter crashed and is submerged in the Hudson River in New York City. The number of people on board is unknown at this time.” This story will be updated as additional information is made available.
Screenshots and video appear to show the rotors separating from the aircraft just before the crash.
Summary
A Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV has crashed into the Hudson River near New York City. No official information has been released regarding the number of passengers or their condition though it has been reported that six people have died. The incident comes a few hours after two American Airlines regional jets clipped wings while taxiing at Reagan National Airport.
