Hudson River helicopter crash claims Spanish family

A sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair yesterday afternoon and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront, killing six people, including a family of Spanish tourists, in the latest highprofile aviation disaster in the US, officials said.

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New York City mayor Eric Adams said the flight began at a downtown heliport around 3pm and that the passengers had been recovered and removed from the water by 5pm.

The fatalities include a family of two adults and three children, Mr Adams confirmed at a press conference. Four of those were pronounced dead at the scene, and two died in a local hospital, it was confirmed.

Witness Bruce Wall said he saw the helicopter “falling apart” in midair, with the tail and propeller coming off. The propeller was still spinning without the aircraft as it fell, he said.

Lesly Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey, said she saw the helicopter spinning uncontrollably before it slammed into the water.