NEW YORK — The Latest on a helicopter crash in the Hudson River (all times local):

New York City police and fire officials say the pilot of a helicopter that crash landed in the Hudson River escaped with just a minor hand injury.

At a news conference Wednesday, authorities said the 34-year-old pilot had just taken off from a Manhattan helipad after refueling when he suddenly felt the aircraft drop.

He was able to steer it into the water about 150 feet from the waterside helipad and then scramble on to the aircraft's inflatable pontoons.

Nobody else was aboard. A dockworker trying to get out of the way of the descending aircraft slipped and injured his wrist.

Video of the 2:30 p.m. crash landing showed the aircraft wobbling and then spinning as it dropped into the water.

A marine crane hauled the helicopter out of the water about 4 p.m.

The Fire Department of New York says a pilot and a heliport worker have non-life-threatening injuries after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport.

The pilot was alone in the helicopter and was able to escape when it landed in the river near West 30th Street on Wednesday afternoon.

It was mostly beneath the water but inflatable pontoons kept it from totally sinking.

The FDNY says the heliport worker was hit by debris.

The Fire Department of New York says a helicopter has gone down in the Hudson River.

WABC says the pilot got out and was OK after the helicopter landed in the river at around West 30th Street on Wednesday afternoon.

It's believed no passengers were aboard the chopper.

A video of the helicopter going into the down showed it descending into the river very close to the shoreline near a busy helipad. </s> Helicopter crashes into Hudson River in New York, injuring two

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City on Wednesday shortly after taking off from Manhattan, causing minor injuries to the pilot and a dockworker, police and fire officials said.

Dramatic video footage of the incident shot by witnesses and posted on social media showed the helicopter spinning seemingly out of control over the Hudson near 30th Street, before plummeting into the water.

"Relieved to report there were no deaths or serious injuries after a helicopter incident on the Hudson river. Thank you to our first responders for your quick action," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter, urging residents to avoid the area.

New York police officials told a news conference that the 34-year-old pilot suffered an injury to his left hand. No one else was on board.

A dockworker injured his right wrist after he fell while scrambling to get out of the way of the plunging aircraft, police said at the press conference.

A deckhand on ferry crossing the Hudson, Edwin Montoya, pulled the pilot out of the water after witnessing the crash, its captain said in a statement released by the ferry company, NY Waterway.

"It was just instinct. Just another day for NY Waterway rescues. We’re right here. Edwin Montoya is an outstanding deckhand. He moved instantly to the rescue," Captain Adam Sciaino said in the statement.

In 2009, US Airways pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger famously landed an Airbus A320 with 155 people safely on the Hudson River off Manhattan after it struck a flock of geese and lost power. </s> NEW YORK -- A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport Wednesday and partially sank, but not before the pilot was able to escape.

New York City Fire Department officials said the pilot was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury after the helicopter landed in the river at around West 30th Street.

No other people were aboard but a worker at the heliport was hurt by flying debris, the fire department said on Twitter.

A mobile phone video of the helicopter going down, taken by a WCBS TV editor, showed it descending into the river just feet from the helipad. The aircraft came down quickly, but it wasn't in freefall. Its blades were rotating.

Anthony Raisley, 20, a college student from Middletown, New Jersey, said he and a friend were at the nearby High Line park, watching the river, when they noticed a helicopter near the pad, spinning and wobbling in a way that didn't seem normal.

The friends thought it might be a stunt.

“The next thing you know, it was out of sight,” he said.

His reaction: “Just shock. You see this stuff in the news, and you never think you'll witness it.”

Video footage from hovering TV news helicopters taken in the aftermath of the crash showed the helicopter capsized and mostly beneath the water but kept from totally sinking by inflatable pontoons that deployed as the aircraft was about to hit the surface.

It was tethered to rescue boats and the helipad pier.

The Fire Department said it got its first call about the crash at around 2:30 p.m.

The FAA identified the helicopter as a Bell 206.

Traffic was moving at a crawl on a busy road that passes by the scene.

A person who answered the phone at a lounge at the helipad said the pilot made an “emergency landing” but was OK.

NEW YORK - A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport Wednesday and partially sank, but not before the pilot was able to escape.

New York City Fire Department officials said the pilot was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury after the helicopter landed in the river at around West 30th Street.

No other people were aboard but a worker at the heliport was hurt by flying debris, the fire department said on Twitter.

A mobile phone video of the helicopter going down, taken by a WCBS TV editor, showed it descending into the river just feet from the helipad. The aircraft came down quickly, but it wasn't in freefall. Its blades were rotating.

Anthony Raisley, 20, a college student from Middletown, New Jersey, said he and a friend were at the nearby High Line park, watching the river, when they noticed a helicopter near the pad, spinning and wobbling in a way that didn't seem normal.

The friends thought it might be a stunt.

“The next thing you know, it was out of sight,” he said.

His reaction: “Just shock. You see this stuff in the news, and you never think you'll witness it.”

Video footage from hovering TV news helicopters taken in the aftermath of the crash showed the helicopter capsized and mostly beneath the water but kept from totally sinking by inflatable pontoons that deployed as the aircraft was about to hit the surface.

It was tethered to rescue boats and the helipad pier.

The Fire Department said it got its first call about the crash at around 2:30 p.m.

The FAA identified the helicopter as a Bell 206.

Traffic was moving at a crawl on a busy road that passes by the scene.

A person who answered the phone at a lounge at the helipad said the pilot made an “emergency landing” but was OK. </s> NEW YORK (AP) — A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport Wednesday and partially sank, but not before the pilot was able to escape.

New York City Fire Department officials said the pilot was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury after the helicopter landed in the river at around West 30th Street.

No other people were aboard but a worker at the heliport was hurt by flying debris, the fire department said on Twitter.

A mobile phone video of the helicopter going down, taken by a WCBS TV editor, showed it descending into the river just feet from the helipad. The aircraft came down quickly, but it wasn't in freefall. Its blades were rotating.

Anthony Raisley, 20, a college student from Middletown, New Jersey, said he and a friend were at the nearby High Line park, watching the river, when they noticed a helicopter near the pad, spinning and wobbling in a way that didn't seem normal.

The friends thought it might be a stunt.

"The next thing you know, it was out of sight," he said.

His reaction: "Just shock. You see this stuff in the news, and you never think you'll witness it."

Video footage from hovering TV news helicopters taken in the aftermath of the crash showed the helicopter capsized and mostly beneath the water but kept from totally sinking by inflatable pontoons that deployed as the aircraft was about to hit the surface.

It was tethered to rescue boats and the helipad pier.

The Fire Department said it got its first call about the crash at around 2:30 p.m.

The FAA identified the helicopter as a Bell 206.

Traffic was moving at a crawl on a busy road that passes by the scene.

A person who answered the phone at a lounge at the helipad said the pilot made an "emergency landing" but was OK. </s> NEW YORK (AP) — A helicopter crash landed in the Hudson River near a busy Manhattan heliport Wednesday and partially sank, but not before the pilot was able to escape mostly unscathed.

The 34-year-old pilot suffered just a minor hand injury after the hard splashdown, which happened just before 2:30 p.m. and was recorded by bystanders who saw the aircraft in trouble and whipped out their mobile phones.

No other people were aboard but a dockworker trying to get out of the way of the descending aircraft slipped and injured his wrist, fire and police officials said.

The helicopter, a charter aircraft, was hauled out of the water Wednesday afternoon by a marine crane after about 90 minutes in the river.

At a news conference, authorities said the pilot had just taken off from the helipad after refueling when something went wrong.

"All of a sudden, he felt the helicopter go down," said Police Department Assistant Chief Stephen Hughes.

A mobile phone video of the helicopter going down, taken by a WCBS TV editor, showed it descending into the river about 150 feet (46 meters) from the helipad. The aircraft came down quickly, but it wasn't in freefall. Its blades were rotating. Emergency pontoons inflated moments before it hit the water.

Anthony Raisley, 20, a college student from Middletown, New Jersey, said he and a friend were at the nearby High Line park, watching the river, when they noticed the aircraft spinning and wobbling in a way that didn't seem normal.

They thought it might be a stunt.

"The next thing you know, it was out of sight," Raisley said.

His reaction: "Just shock. You see this stuff in the news, and you never think you'll witness it."

The pilot, who was not immediately identified by authorities, quickly scrambled on to the aircraft's pontoons.

The helicopter eventually capsized and sank mostly beneath the water but was kept from going to the bottom by the floats.

The FAA identified the helicopter as a Bell 206. The National Transportation Safety Board said it would investigate the accident.

New York City has a history of both minor and major helicopter wrecks and crash landings.

Five people died when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the East River last year. Three people died in another crash into the same river in 2011. Nine people died in a collision between a sightseeing helicopter and a small plane in 2009, not far from the scene of Wednesday's mishap.

Following the East River mishap, Rep. Carolyn Maloney said she called for a ban on helicopter flights over Manhattan and Brooklyn until their safety could be properly studied.

“Helicopter flights are not subject to proper regulation and safety standards and pose significant public safety risks to our community,” Maloney said Wednesday. “Today’s crash is yet another reminder that oversight of helicopter operations over New York City is absolutely necessary.” </s> – A helicopter went into the water of the Hudson River around 1:20 p.m. on Wednesday, near 30th Street and the Lincoln Tunnel.

Eric Morales, the 35-year-old pilot, was the only person on the helicopter when it went down. Shortly after the crash, he was rescued out of the water by a NY Waterway ferry crew.

Morales did not appear to have suffered any serious injuries beyond a cut on his hand.

A second person at the helipad suffered injuries, possibly from debris from the crash, and was treated at the scene.

Morales said was coming in to land when he felt something wrong. He tried to pull up, but after that failed, he did his best not to hit the helipad where people were standing and the highway beyond.

WEB EXTRA – Chopper 2’s Dan Rice Shares Helicopter Safety Tips And Explains How Pilots Train For Crashes Like This:

Witnesses say the chopper was coming into the West 30th Street helipad and fell short about 50 feet of the landing area. The helicopter had just taken off from the helipad before attempting to return.

According the helicopter’s operator, the chopper was re-positioning and was not on a flight at the time.

“I was recording the helicopter taking off and it did like a spin,” said Jack Lincoln from Middletown, N.J. “I guess the wind caught it and it just went right into the river. It happened so quickly we couldn’t believe what happened, but everybody turned around and said a helicopter crashed.”

Morales deployed floats along the helicopter’s landing skids which, when inflated, kept the helicopter from sinking in the water.

SEE IT: Video Of Helicopter Into Hudson



The chopper is operated by Zip Avation chopper service, which flies shuttle service between Manhattan and local airports for companies from Manhattan to local airports.

Eyewitness Talks On Chopper Crash Into Hudson River, Part 1



Additional Eyewitness Reports Of Chopper Crash Into Hudson River, Part 2



Eyewitness Talks On Chopper Crash Into Hudson River, Part 3



The NY Waterway ferry crew aboard the Gov. Thomas Kean boat that rescued the pilot was carrying passengers between West 39th Street in Manhattan and 14th Street in Hoboken when they saw the helicopter go down.

This incident was the second rescue in 10 years for Ferry Capt. Adam Sciaino. Deckhand Edwin Montoya deployed the Jason’s Cradle rescue device off the bow of the ferry to pull the pilot aboard.

There are currently 2 non-life-threatening injuries reported on scene of a helicopter crash into the Hudson River – the pilot and one heliport worker injured by debris. #FDNY operations continue. pic.twitter.com/Z1hA2PBKMC — FDNY (@FDNY) May 15, 2019

The southbound lane of FDR Drive was closed for about three hours as authorities investigated the crash, but reopened to traffic around 4:00 p.m.

The FAA responded to the scene and has launched an investigation. There was no indication drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

MORE: Heroes On The Hudson: Ferry Crew Talks About Saving Helicopter Pilot From River Crash </s> A helicopter has crashed into the Hudson River in New York City, the fire department confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

A spokesperson for the FDNY confirmed the crash and said the pilot, the only person on board, was safely removed from the water with no injuries. The department's verified Twitter account said there were two other non-life-threatening injuries.

New York Waterway, a company that operates ferries between Manhattan and New Jersey, said in a press release that one of its boats had rescued the pilot of the helicopter at about 1:20pm. The company also assisted with rescue efforts when a U.S. Airways plane famously landed in the Hudson River in 2009.

Local news channels showed a large police and fire response to the crash, as onlookers flooded the riverside park to get a better look at the incident. The West Side Highway was partially closed to southbound traffic following the crash as first responders towed the aircraft to the shore.

Video from local news helicopters showed police and fire boats towing the helicopter to shore. ABC7

Multiple people on Twitter said they saw a helicopter plunge into the water around 2:20 pm local time, near a pier where Blade and other helicopters operate on Manhattan's West side at 30th street and 12th avenue.

It was not immediately clear which company owns or was operating the helicopter at the time of the incident.

In March 2018, a private helicopter crashed into the East River in New York, killing five people on board.

This story is developing, check back for updates... </s> At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, when an accident on a skyscraper landing pad led the city to start putting restrictions on where choppers could land.

Helicopter flights are getting renewed scrutiny after a fatal crash into a Manhattan tower Monday.

A look at accidents over the years:

2019: A helicopter used for executive travel hits the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper in restricted airspace. The pilot is killed.

2019: A charter helicopter goes into the Hudson River and sinks while being maneuvered at a heliport. The pilot escapes.

2018: Five people drown when a charter helicopter offering "open door" flights crashes in the East River . The pilot survives.

2011: Three people die when a helicopter carrying a family outing plunges into the East River.

2009: A sightseeing helicopter carrying Italian tourists collides with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine.

2007: A sightseeing helicopter drops into the Hudson River after experiencing a mechanical problem after lifting off from a West Side heliport. Everyone makes it out safely.

2005: A corporate helicopter carrying MBNA Corp. executives falls into the East river after taking off from the East 34th Street heliport. The pilot is seriously injured but everyone survives.

2005: A sightseeing helicopter goes into the East River while trying to take off from the Wall Street heliport. A British tourist nearly drowns.

2004: A WNBC news helicopter hits a building in Brooklyn and disintegrates while covering a story. All occupants survive.

1997: One person is killed and a second is badly injured when a helicopter owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company falls into the East River after taking off from the 60th Street heliport.

1990: One person dies after the pilot of an Island Helicopter air taxi misjudges the wind during a takeoff from the East 34th Street heliport and flies into the river.

1988: A passenger drowns when a sightseeing helicopter loses power and makes a forced landing in the East River.

1986: An NBC radio traffic reporter dies when the helicopter she is riding in loses lift, hits a fence and crashes into the Hudson.

1985: A passenger drowns when a sightseeing flight operated by New York Helicopters crashes into the East River after taking off from the East 34th Street heliport.

1983: A seaplane coming in for a landing on the East River collides with a police helicopter over the Brooklyn waterfront, killing four people.

1981: Hijackers seize a sightseeing helicopter and order the pilot to fly to a federal jail in Manhattan in an unsuccessful attempt to free a prisoner waiting on the roof.

1977: A rotor breaks loose from a New York Airways helicopter on a landing pad atop the Pan Am Building and kills five people, including one on the street two blocks away. The helipad closes after the accident. </s> A helicopter that crashed in the Hudson River is pulled out of the water on Wednesday in New York City. The pilot survived the incident. The pilot was the only person aboard the helicopter and was rescued by the New York Police Department's Aviation and Harbor unit, according to a law enforcement official. (Drew Angerer/Getty)
A helicopter with only the pilot onboard crashes into the Hudson River shortly after taking off from the West 30th Street Heliport in New York City injuring the pilot and the dockworker on the ground.