Helicopter crash: Horror moment cockpit plunges into Hudson River after 'rotor breaks off'

The shocking moment the cockpit , killing all six people aboard, was caught on video.

Rescue vessels rushed to the area of the river where the aircraft, a Bell 206, close to a maintenance pier for a ventilation tower serving the Holland Tunnel. The helicopter was seen flying erratically in the skies over the city moments before it suddenly crashed into the water. Another video has now been shared by a shocked witness of the horror moment the remains of the helicopter fell from the skies upside down and entered the water.

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The rear of the helicopter has been completely shorn off the aircraft, which also appears to be missing its main rotor blades which sit on top. As the cockpit enters the water, it causes a large splash. A loud bang can then be heard in the footage.

The person who shot the video said simply: “A helicopter has crashed into the Hudson River near Manhattan, New York.”

Pictures from the scene later showed the cockpit upside down and mostly submerged in the water of the river. The New York Police Department wrote: “Due to a helicopter crash in the Hudson River, in the vicinity of the West Side Highway and Spring Street, expect emergency vehicles and traffic delays in the surrounding areas.”

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.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board say they will investigate the incident.

The FAA said in a statement on X: “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.”

Helicopters are seen every day in the skies over Manhattan, with both private recreational aircraft and commercial and tourist flights.

Manhattan has several helipads but over the years, there have been several crashes.

One was a collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson River in 2009, as nine people died. In 2018, a charter helicopter offering "open door" flights went down into the East River, killing five people.