Helicopter crashes in New York City's Hudson River; sources say 6 dead

NEW YORK (WPIX) – Multiple people are reportedly dead after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River off Manhattan on Thursday.

Sources told Nexstar's WPIX and the Associated Press that six people died in the crash. Two people briefed on the rescue efforts told The New York Times that three children and two adults had been pulled from the water, but their conditions were unknown.

Authorities have not yet provided any information regarding how many people may have been on board or their conditions.

Fire officials confirmed the crash on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River was first reported shortly after 3 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Videos posted to social media showed the Bell 206 mostly submerged, upside down in the water. Police were seen nearby with police helicopters overhead.

The fire department said it had units on scene performing rescue operations. Several emergency crews were seen responding to the area in another video, which you can watch below:

The rescue craft were near a site close to the Manhattan waterfront, near the end of a long maintenance pier for one of the ventilation towers for the Holland Tunnel.

The skies over Manhattan are routinely filled with both planes and helicopters, both private recreational aircraft and commercial and tourist flights. Manhattan has several helipads that whisk business executives and others to destinations throughout the metropolitan area.

Over the years, there have been multiple crashes, including a collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson River in 2009 that killed nine people and the 2018 crash of a charter helicopter offering “open door” flights that went down into the East River, killing five people.

The Associated Press contributed to this developing report.