Helicopter Crash in Hudson River Near New York City, April 11, 2025 Update

The accident occurred with a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV single-engine helicopter built in 2004 through New York Helicopters. On April 10th 2025 at 2:59 p.m. ET the airplane took off from the Wall Street Heliport as part of its sixth flight for the day. The helicopter flew above Governor’s Island before passing by the Statue of Liberty before continuing up the Hudson River toward Manhattan's western side. From the George Washington Bridge point onwards the helicopter conducted a return journey southward toward the New Jersey riverbank.

A collision occurred off the River Drive coast in Hoboken, New Jersey with the helicopter during its flight in the Hudson River at 3:17 p.m. ABC News obtained eyewitness reports which described gunlike noises that preceded the midair helicopter disintegration. Jessica Horbiak called emergency services after observing the crash through his window in Jersey City as he saw aircraft parts falling from the sky. According to a different eyewitness the helicopter experienced a separation into two parts during flight when its rotor separated entirely breaking one propeller into fragments. The helicopter encountered water while inverted because both its tail rotor and main rotor blade had detached during flight before crashing upside down at 50 degrees.

Victims and Emergency Response

The plane crash took the lives of everyone who was present on the flight. All six persons died in the plane crash including Agustin Escobar (42) from Siemens Mobility in Barcelona Spain together with his wife Merce Camprubi Montal (43) and their three children who were aged 4, 5, and 11. The pilot who operated the plane lost his life in the crash alongside his 36 years of age. The NBC News reported that four victims were declared dead on location followed by two patients who lost their lives at the Jersey City Medical Center.

All emergency services hurried to the scene after the crash where the New York Police Department (NYPD) coordinated with the FDNY along with Jersey City Police Department personnel. The divers inserted into the waters to collect victims from the submerged helicopter while rescue boats continuously orbited around the area according to the Guardian news report. Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City warned about air traffic safety because the airspace was highly congested in that area.

Investigation and Regulatory Context

Multiple government agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration along with the National Transportation Safety Board currently lead investigations to determine the crash reason. On April 10 Jennifer Homendy from NTSB announced her arrival in New York to start the investigation before conducting a press conference on April 11 according to Reuters. The FAA established a Safety Review Team to investigate the incident by analyzing aircraft maintenance documents while reviewing airworthiness directives compliance together with operational protocol review.

Questions exist regarding safety procedures for tourist helicopters after they operated in a Special Flight Rules Area without air traffic control services. Public access to maintenance records is restricted during the investigation period as reported by CNN about the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV which received its airworthiness certificate in 2016 with a validity until 2029. During its evaluation the NTSB will examine all aircraft maintenance documents alongside evidence of two recent FAA mandates implementation. 

Official Reactions and Public Statements

CBS New York published an account where New York City Mayor Eric Adams provided sympathy to the grieving families. President Donald Trump issued two X posts during which he called the accident "terrible" and condemned the recorded events as "horrendous" (Donald Trump). Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted on X that he shared collective grief with victim family members at the time of this tragic incident.

Michael Roth who leads New York Helicopter Charter Inc. displayed deep sorrow about the incident while telling CNN that he has been a father and grandfather and his wife has been in continuous distress since the afternoon. The director of maintenance oversees their maintenance operations although he refused additional comments because of the active investigation.

Safety Concerns and Historical Context

According to Reuters the helicopter tour services of New York Helicopter Tours begin at $114 per person for each flight in the New York City tourist market. The safety situation remains concerning due to heavy airspace congestion. BBC News released information about five fatalities after a 2018 East River helicopter sightseeing accident. The aircraft carrying out the flight operation had its doors removed when the machine received severe damage from a collision.

Several aviation experts including Shawn Pruchnicki work at Ohio State University’s Center for Aviation Studies to explain that Bell 206L models maintain their safety reputation when supported by proper maintenance but aerial sightseeing organizations present major safety problems in general according to The New York Times. The FAA continues airport helicopter flight inspections following a prior helicopter near-miss situation near Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. which Reuters previously reported.

Comparative Analysis of Witness Accounts

Witness accounts provide critical insights into the crash sequence. Below is a table summarizing key observations:

Witness Name	Observation	Source
Dani Horbiak	Saw pieces fall off before it plummeted, heard 5-6 loud noises like gunshots	ABC News
Eric Campoverde	Saw it go down at a 45-degree angle, big splash	NBC News
Anonymous Witness	Saw helicopter splitting in two, rotor flying off, propeller broke into pieces	The Independent
Avi Rakesh	Saw chopper blade fly off, dropped feet away from Holland Tunnel	NBC News

Information suggests mechanical difficulties with the aircraft’s rotor system or tail are possible causes but the investigation by NTSB must reach definitive conclusions.

Conclusion

On April 10, 2025 the Hudson River helicopter crash ended in six fatal casualties including a Spanish family along with the aircraft pilot. On April 11, 2025, FAA together with NTSB continue their investigation to establish the cause of the incident. Safety concerns regarding helicopter tours in New York City have intensified in response to this recent tragedy because the city operates one of the world's busiest airspaces among historical aviation accidents. Six lives were lost in the disaster which demonstrates why improved protective measures and stronger oversight should be implemented to stop future incidents since these tours must create memorable moments without endangering safety.