NEW YORK: Two people were killed when a helicopter went down Sunday evening in New York’s East River, authorities said.
Three other passengers remain in critical condition. A sixth person, the pilot, was able to free himself and was rescued, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. He was taken to the hospital for observation.
“One of the most difficult parts of the rescue were that five people were tightly harnessed,” Nigro said. “People had to be cut out.”
Nigro and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill spoke to reporters Sunday evening.
In an audio recording of a mayday call to LaGuardia Airport, the pilot can be heard saying that the helicopter was experiencing engine failure.
The Liberty Helicopters chopper had been chartered for a private photo shoot, authorities said.
Liberty Helicopters describes itself on its website as “the largest and most experienced helicopter sightseeing and charter service in New York City.”
The company has “a fleet of 10 state-of-the-art Airbus helicopters (formerly American Eurcopter),” according to the website. “We have been in business and flying safely for over 30 years,”.
