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New York, NY – April 10, 2025 – A tragic helicopter crash into the Hudson River near
Jersey City on Thursday afternoon has claimed the lives of all six people on board,
including a family of five tourists from Spain and the pilot. As investigators begin
to piece together the events leading to the disaster, veteran aviation reporter Dan
Rice of CBS News New York, reporting from Chopper 2, offered his initial expert
assessment, suggesting a "catastrophic failure" of the aircraft.
Eyewitness accounts and early video footage of the incident paint a harrowing
picture. Several witnesses reported seeing the helicopter spinning uncontrollably
before it plunged into the water around 3:17 PM near the Holland Tunnel ventilation
shaft. One witness described hearing a deafening noise, "like thunder," followed by
the sight of "black particles flying" through the air.
Dan Rice, who frequently flies over the Hudson River in the same model helicopter,
analyzed the available evidence, focusing on a particularly disturbing detail seen
in one of the videos. "There's one video in particular where you see the main
component of the helicopter, the fuselage, upside down. And what struck me, what
scared me, is the main rotor system was gone. There's no main rotor on the
helicopter, and the tail boom was also gone. It's just a vessel at that point with no
direction."
Rice emphasized the critical role of the main and tail rotors in helicopter flight.
"The main rotor blades provide lift and control. Without them, the helicopter
simply cannot fly in a controlled manner. Furthermore, the tail rotor is what keeps
the helicopter from spinning out of control; it's your anchor, so to speak, that keeps
the helicopter from being a top."
The absence of both the main rotor system and the tail boom in the video suggests
a significant structural failure occurred mid-air. "I can't say that I've ever seen an
incident where such a major component of the helicopter has separated with no
other aircraft or some other component hitting it," Rice stated, highlighting the
unusual nature of the apparent failure.
While acknowledging that the official cause of the crash is yet to be determined by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB), Rice's expert observation strongly indicates a catastrophic
mechanical issue. "Booms and noises like that indicate some sort of mechanical
issue," he explained, referring to the sounds reported by witnesses. The separation
of the main rotor, in particular, would explain the helicopter's uncontrolled spin
before impact. "If there's a problem with the helicopter but the main rotor is still
attached, a skilled pilot might be able to glide down to the river. But if they're
separated, there's no control of the vessel. It's just going to end up the way we saw
it, unfortunately."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the identities of the victims, expressing
his condolences to their families. "Here you have visitors who were here just to see
a picturesque and a legendary skyline. And unfortunately, we lost five family
members and a pilot to an incident," the Mayor said during a press conference.
Emergency responders, including the NYPD and the Coast Guard, were quickly on
the scene, establishing a safety zone in the Hudson River. By late Thursday
evening, all six bodies had been recovered. Debris from the helicopter was seen
scattered in the water, further indicating a significant mid-air breakup.
The helicopter's flight path, according to preliminary information, took it over
Governor's Island and near the Statue of Liberty before heading up the Hudson
River along Manhattan's West Side. It then turned around just past the George
Washington Bridge, flying back down along the New Jersey side of the river before
crashing near Jersey City.
The investigation by the FAA and NTSB will involve a detailed examination of the
wreckage, witness interviews, and any available flight data to determine the
precise sequence of events and the underlying cause of this devastating crash. Dan
Rice's early analysis, based on his extensive experience and observation of the
video evidence, points towards a catastrophic structural failure as a likely factor,
emphasizing the unprecedented separation of the main rotor system. The coming
days and weeks will be crucial in uncovering the full details of this tragedy.
