Five dead after helicopter crashes into the East river off Manhattan

Five people have died after a helicopter crashed into New York City’s East river on Sunday night and flipped upside down in the water.

Video taken by a bystander and posted on Twitter shows the red helicopter land and then capsize, its rotors slapping at the water.

The helicopter, a private charter hired for a photo shoot, went down near Gracie Mansion, the mayoral residence, just north of Roosevelt Island. One person, the pilot, freed himself and was rescued by a tugboat, officials said.

The passengers were recovered by police and fire department divers, who had to remove them from tight harnesses while they were upside down, fire commissioner Daniel Nigro said.

Witnesses on a waterfront esplanade near where the aircraft went down said the helicopter was flying noisily, then suddenly dropped into the water and quickly submerged. But the pilot appeared on the surface, holding onto a flotation device as a tugboat and then police boats approached.

 Source : foxnews