Several witnesses have said that a plane part appeared to break off mid air around 3:15 p.m. and fell into the body of water. Emergency services from both New Jersey and New York rushed to the scene where the chopper appeared to be flipped over in the water.
At least four people were pulled from the 50-degree water, though their conditions remain unclear, according to local reports. Police report that 2 adults, 1 pilot, and three 3 children were aboard the aircraft. The family was visiting from Spain.
Witnesses on social media described a “loud thumping noise” when the helicopter crashed, with what appeared to be a broken propeller. Several sirens could be heard from Lower Manhattan proceeding the accident.
The New York Police Department has warned locals to “expect emergency vehicles and traffic delays” in the vicinity of the West Side Highway and Spring Street.
An eye-witness to the crash said he saw one of the helicopter’s blades break off mid-flight. Avi Rakesh recalled seeing the aircraft heading south toward New Jersey when “the chopper blade flew off.” Another witness told WABC “one propeller broke into pieces.”
“I don’t know what happened to the tail, but it just dropped straight down,” Rakesh told NBC News. “It came down just feet from the Holland Tunnel. I can’t imagine what could’ve happened if it had hit it.”
“I was walking by and the helicopter went down at 45-degree angle. Big splash — it was very scary,” witness Eric Campoverde told ABC New, with another adding: “It sounded like a sonic boom.”
