@cnn @FoxNews just witnessed a helicopter crash into the East River .. hope everyone’s ok. Caught it all on tape! pic.twitter.com/saHOMTLR69
— JJ Magers (@JJmagers) March 11, 2018
Video by JJMagers/Twitter
NEW YORK, March 11, 2018 (UPI/Gephardt Daily) — At least two people died after a helicopter carrying six people crashed in the East River on Sunday evening.
In a news release, the Coast Guard said the New York command center was notified of the crash shortly after 7 p.m. According to the release, the copter went down north of Roosevelt Island near 86th Street.
Eric Phillips, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, confirmed two passengers died and one other was rescued.
According to the Coast Guard statement, one person was rescued by a tugboat, and five others were recovered by divers from the New York City police and fire departments.
A bystander caught the incident on video, which shows the helicopter crashing into the water and submerging into the river as the blades keep spinning.
The New York Post reported that witnesses saw the pilot escape the helicopter but the other passengers were trapped inside.
“There was about a minute where we didn’t see anyone come out, then after a minute we saw a man come out holding onto a raft screaming, ‘Help! help! Ah!’ and then inaudible screams,” witness Brianna Jesme said. “It was horrifying.”
Xinran Jiang witnessed the crash from her bedroom window.
“It almost looked like it was landing,” Jiang told The New York Times. “It wasn’t moving fast. We were curious where it was going to land. Then the next minute, it was diving into the river.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.
