DEVELOPING STORY: A helicopter tumbled out of the sky and crashed into the Hudson River near the Holland Tunnel in New York City. The crash happened Thursday afternoon around 3 p.m.
Video, which you can watch below, shows the chopper losing at least one blade before breaking apart and landing in the river. The aircraft was discovered mostly submerged upside down in the water.
As many as six people were believed to be on board the chopper. There are fatalities, but the exact number has not been released.
ABC News reports the helicopter was carrying a pilot, two adults and three children, according to law enforcement sources. The family members were tourists from Spain, sources said.
The FDNY reports that multiple rescue boats were on the scene near the ventilation towers for the Holland Tunnel.
Avi Rakesh said he saw the helicopter going south toward New Jersey when “the chopper blade flew off.”
“I don’t know what happened to the tail, but it just straight up dropped,” Rakesh told NBC News. “It dropped feet away from Holland Tunnel, and I can’t imagine if it hit it.”
“It sounded like a sonic boom,” a witness told New York ABC station WABC. He said he saw the “helicopter splitting in two with the rotor flying off.”
The NTSB is gathering information on the Hudson helicopter crash. The FAA released the following statement:
“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. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates.”