Six people have been confirmed killed on Thursday after a helicopter carrying tourists tumbled out of the sky and plunged into the Hudson River just in Jersey City, New Jersey.
According to the New York Times, the incident occurred around 3 p.m., with witness and video accounts showing the helicopter, believed to be carrying six people, tumbled over and crashed into the Hudson River at a very high speed.
New Jersey officials said rescuers pulled at least two adults and three children from the helicopter or from the frigid river and were taken to hospitals in Jersey City. The victims were reportedly members of a family of Spanish tourists.
Officials added that a sixth person, who is suspected to be the pilot of the helicopter, is still unaccounted for, with efforts underway to locate the individual.
The Times reported that it was still unclear where the helicopter took off from or where it was headed to. However, tourist helicopters are known to routinely fly over the Hudson River, carrying sightseers from heliports in Lower Manhattan and New Jersey.
Thursday’s incident is the latest of more than 20 air crashes that have occurred in the United States since January, with the combined death toll now over 110.
