Helicopter crashes in the Hudson River in New York City

According to a law enforcement officer on the site, five persons were rescued from the Hudson River following a helicopter accident and transported to the hospital.

At 3:17 p.m., the NYPD reported an accident at Pier 40.  According to the official, three of the five victims rescued on board were minors. Their situations remain unknown, and investigators are still looking for one missing body, the spokesman stated.

“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,” the NYPD said in a social media post.

Emergency personnel gathered on both sides of the river. The New York Police Department was deploying on West Side Highway and Spring Street in Manhattan. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was on the scene.

The aircraft appears to have broken apart in midair and crashed.  Debris could be seen flying from the aircraft as it crashed into the river.

FlightRadar24 identified the aircraft as a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV based on ADS-B tracking data.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that it is investigating the incident with the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB.

“A Bell 206 helicopter crashed and is submerged in the Hudson River in New York City,” the FAA said in a statement. "The number of people on board is unknown at this time."

A sixth person was pulled from the Hudson River, a senior rescue official told. Five of the six have died.

It was not clear whether the sixth person was one of the deceased or what the condition of the living person is.

It was previously understood that there were five people on board: one pilot, two adults and two children. It is unclear who the sixth individual was.