logo
Helicopter tours of NYC have a controversial and deadly history

Helicopter tours of NYC have a controversial and deadly history

Yahoo08-05-2025

A Spanish family who boarded a sightseeing helicopter in New York City were promised an 'experience you don't want to miss' and "an industry-leading safety record" by New York Helicopter.
Instead, the flight ended in tragedy when the aircraft plunged into the Hudson River.
Tech executive Agustin Escobar was among the six killed in the April 10 crash, the company confirmed. Escobar's family ‒ including 3 children ‒ died in the crash, as well as the helicopter's pilot.
The deaths made worldwide headlines and brought renewed attention to the controversial helicopter tourism industry in New York.
The industry sends some 30,000 flights over the Big Apple every year. But residents have decried the helicopters as a nuisance and occasionally some flights have also faced a deadly end.
New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth said he was 'devastated' by the crash.
'I haven't seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business,' Roth said to the New York Post about a video showing the helicopter careening into the water. 'The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don't know.'
More: Helicopter crash into NYC's Hudson River kills 6 on sightseeing tour
At least 32 people died in New York City helicopter crashes between 1977 and 2019, according to an Associated Press report. The latest crash brings the total to 38.
In March, tour company FlyNYON paid a share of a settlement in a lawsuit for $90 million, reports say. The suit was brought by the relatives of a man who died when a helicopter crashed and sank into the East River in 2018. The helicopter was owned and operated by Liberty Helicopters, which was also found liable in the lawsuit.
The tragedy led to an FAA ban on open-door flights. The five passengers on board drowned after the helicopter rolled over into the water as they were trapped by safety harnesses they were wearing at the time. Pilot Richard Vance was the only survivor.
The crash was the third in 11 years for Liberty Helicopters, leading Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer to call upon federal authorities to suspend the company's license. Liberty Helicopters is still operating, according to a company website.
Another Liberty Helicopters chopper went down in 2009 after crashing with a private plane. All nine people on both aircraft — a pilot and five passengers in the helicopter and a pilot and two passengers in the plane — died in the midair crash.
In 2019, a chopper slammed into the roof of a Manhattan building and burst into flames. Timothy McCormack, the pilot of the eight-seat, twin-engine helicopter, died. He was the only person on board the aircraft.
More: With 6 dead in New York, a look at notable fatal helicopter crashes in recent US history
Most of the nonessential helicopter flights that take off every year in New York City don't end in tragedy. (Sightseeing flights are considered nonessential.)
But even a successful flight can be controversial. Because such flights must fly at a low altitude to avoid airplanes, they add to the din of an already loud city for many New Yorkers.
Residents opposed to the aircraft have scored some victories. Sightseeing helicopter flights are only allowed to leave from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and only Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; although commuter and other flights are allowed to leave from the island's two other heliports as well.
Sightseeing flights must follow a prescribed route, generally around the bottom of Manhattan, around Liberty Island (home to the Statue of Liberty) and along the Hudson River. Designated routes were created in 2009 following the deadly mid-air collision of the Liberty Helicopters chopper with a private plane that left nine dead.
Tours leaving from Manhattan are not allowed to fly over land, though flights originating from the other New York City airports do not have such restrictions, the New York City Council website said.
Efforts to ban or limit tourist flights have been ongoing for at least 15 years. Stop the Chop, a group organized to reduce helicopter noise, has been agitating for several years to ban nonessential helicopters from flying over the New York metropolitan area.
In 2010 city officials banned short, four to eight minute tours around Manhattan. Today most flights are between 12 and 30 minutes. Flights on Sundays were also banned in 2016 at Stop The Chop's urging.
Congressional Representatives, including several from the city, introduced the Safe and Quiet Skies Act in 2023. The law would have directed the FAA to strictly regulate sightseeing flights by requiring them to fly at a higher altitude and be no louder than 55 decibels over occupied areas.
It did not pass then but politicians who introduced the bill are raising the issue again in light of Thursday's crash.
'This heartbreaking incident was not only devastating — it was foreseeable,' said Representative Jerry Nadler. 'For years, I have raised concerns about the dangers posed by non-essential helicopter flights over our city's densely populated neighborhoods and congested airspace. One of the busiest skies in the nation remains largely unregulated, governed by outdated visual flight rules and minimal oversight.'
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NYC helicopter crash follows years of controversy for tourist flights

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

LAPD fires flash-bang grenades, less-lethal rounds at protesters
LAPD fires flash-bang grenades, less-lethal rounds at protesters

San Francisco Chronicle​

time4 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

LAPD fires flash-bang grenades, less-lethal rounds at protesters

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles police lobbed flash-bang grenades and shot less-lethal munitions at peaceful protesters Wednesday as Angelenos took to the streets in a sixth day of demonstrations denouncing President Donald Trump's crackdown on America's immigrant community. Several people said they were struck — and injured — by the projectiles, and some people said they heard dispersal orders given well before the 8 p.m. curfew. The LAPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday night. In recent days, protesters have convened on the city's federal complex in downtown Los Angeles. On Wednesday, however, protesters shifted tactics, and gathered at Pershing Square, a public park about three quarters of a mile from City Hall. There, protesters held a peaceful rally and then marched down Hill Street to City Hall, chanting slogans in Spanish and English, decrying ICE's deportation raids. 'I'm tired of turning on the TV, crying, and seeing families ripped apart,' said Billy Tagle, 45, who marched carrying a huge homemade banner emblazoned with a picture of a heart made up of Mexican and American flags and the slogan 'United we Stand.' He said he was tired of seeing President Trump belittling Californians. 'He didn't even give Gov. Gavin Newsom or the mayor the chance to defuse the situation,' he said, speaking of the protests that erupted earlier this week. 'Right now I feel a lot of unity — we care about our people,' he said, as chants of 'ICE out of LA' echoed behind him. At City Hall, protesters gathered on the building's steps, as a line of police officers decked in riot gear looked on. Some protesters handed water out to each other, others line danced and played musical instruments, chanting 'Peaceful Protest' as officers looked on. Soon, however, the evening took a dark turn, as police began clearing out the crowd, lobbing flash-bang grenades and chasing protesters. People reported seeing officers fire less-lethal rounds and others said they were injured by them. Among the people chased by police was Sara Alura. 'I didn't have high expectations of the police, but it's shocking,' she said. 'A total lack of recognition of our First Amendment rights to assemble and to express ourselves. It's shocking but not surprising.' Across from City Hall, Donaldo Angel Pedro, 25, was decked out in a pith helmet and a tan vest on which he'd painted the words 'Jesus forgives prostitutes, not hypocrites.' He and others fled back toward Grand Park as police unleashed flash-bang grenades. 'They're getting afraid of the crowd size,' he said, gesturing at the officers attempting to hem in the demonstrators. As police advanced, the crowd retreated up into Gloria Molina Grand Park. Among them was Megan Marmon, 32, a Los Angeles resident originally from Alameda. The police response was a reminder of the city's response to the 2020 protests against George Floyd's murder, she said. 'Everything I've seen here from protesters has been entirely peaceful,' she said. But in just a few minutes, she witnessed three people shot with what she described as rubber bullets. 'The aggression from LAPD feels totally insane,' she said. Nearby, a 49-year-old man who only identified himself as Quincy struggled with a bandage on his elbow. Minutes earlier, he said, he'd witnessed an altercation between two protesters. As the two men neared him, he said, police fired less-lethal munitions, and a round caught him just above the elbow, leaving a nasty cut and a bump the size of a small egg. 'If the cops aren't trying to cause problems, they're doing a terrible job,' he said, as a field medic re-wrapped his arm. Moments later, Miles Ma, 31, walked by, and revealed a similar injury on his torso. He'd been taking photos when the police had ordered protesters to disperse. As he turned and ran, a less-lethal round caught him in the stomach. 'They are rude,' he said. 'It's too much.'

Woman allegedly opens fire into occupied apartment in Brooklyn: NYPD
Woman allegedly opens fire into occupied apartment in Brooklyn: NYPD

Yahoo

time8 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Woman allegedly opens fire into occupied apartment in Brooklyn: NYPD

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — The NYPD is searching for a woman accused of opening fire into an occupied apartment in Brooklyn on May 26. The incident happened around 2:45 a.m. in front of 327 Warwick Street. More Local News The suspect allegedly fired into the apartment before fleeing on foot, heading east on Liberty Avenue, police say. No injuries were reported. The woman, pictured below, was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and black Crocs. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Anti-ICE protests erupt across 19 states, with 200 rioters busted in LA for ignoring newly enforced curfew
Anti-ICE protests erupt across 19 states, with 200 rioters busted in LA for ignoring newly enforced curfew

New York Post

time9 hours ago

  • New York Post

Anti-ICE protests erupt across 19 states, with 200 rioters busted in LA for ignoring newly enforced curfew

The chaos is spreading. Anti-ICE riots have erupted in Atlanta, Chicago and Seattle — as hundreds of protesters were arrested in Los Angeles Tuesday after the city imposed a curfew to curb five straight days of mayhem sparked by federal immigration raids. Thousands have stormed the streets in 35 cities across 19 states, both in solidarity with the unrest in Los Angeles and to protest the wave of mass detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 7 Anti-ICE riots have erupted across the country, with hundreds of protesters arrested in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday. Getty Images While no other city has matched the scale of the volatile demonstrations in the City of Angels — where 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops have been deployed — clashes with police intensified Tuesday during the latest round of protests, according to local reports. About six agitators were cuffed in Atlanta after police ordered a curfew to control a rowdy crowd — which set off fireworks and hurled rocks at officers, resulting in tear gas being used to end the chaos, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. A demonstration in Chicago turned violent when thousands gathered outside the Chicago Police Department headquarters, accusing cops of helping ICE with crowd control during raids in the Windy City, something the department denies, ABC7 reported. Some members of the crowd vandalized patrol cars and others faced off with cops, as a motorist plowed through the mob of demonstrators after ignoring police orders to stop, according to Fox News. No injuries were reported in the frightening incident. In Seattle, a few dozen protesters gathered outside Seattle's Henry M. Jackson Federal Building to show support for the civil disobedience taking place in LA. 7 Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew across the city to limit the civil unrest from the ongoing protests. Getty Images The action followed another, larger protest the day before in which around 300 people marched to Seattle City Hall to oppose the arrest of local labor leader David Huerta, who was arrested during the ICE raids in California. Outside the federal building, protesters chanted profanity-laced anti-ICE slogans in both Spanish and English and tried to block vehicle access to the building with e-bikes and scooters, according to KUOW. More than 200 people were arrested in Los Angeles after they failed to leave the one-square-mile section of downtown where Mayor Karen Bass enforced an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, NBC News reported. 7 Thousands of individuals have taken to the streets across the country to protest the ICE raids. Getty Images Agitators were charged with failure to disperse, as 17 others were arrested for curfew violation. Others were taken into custody for firearm possession, assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and discharging a laser at a police airship, the outlet reported. Two officers were also injured when a standoff erupted between protesters, the LAPD and ICE agents as the 8 p.m. curfew neared. 7 Multiple demonstrations have led to violence and dozens of arrests across the country along with members of the Marines and the National Guard being called in to maintain order. Getty Images The disruption resulted in demonstrators fleeing into the parking garage of an upscale apartment high-rise where residents were reportedly sheltering them. One protester, who was hiding out in the 17th-floor stairwell of the building, told The Post he voted for President Trump and now regrets that decision. 'I've been hiding here. I'm just trying to get out,' he said. 'I was out here protesting because both of my parents are Mexican, and I want to support my community. Actually, I voted for Trump and regretted it. It was a huge mistake, and this is kind of my way of making up for that.' 7 Tuesday marked the fifth straight day of protests in Los Angeles against the mass deportation raids conducted by ICE. Matthew Hoen/Zuma / The city has been in turmoil since Friday, when protests-turned-riots erupted as federal agents raided numerous workplaces and hauled off suspected illegal immigrants. Demonstrations quickly turned violent, with busy highways blocked, rocks being thrown at police cars, and city streets left littered with burning cars by day and looters ransacking storefronts by night. Tensions escalated into a hotbed of unrest when Trump bypassed California Gov. Gavin Newsom and ordered the large military presence to the city to restore order — an 'unnecessary' decision Bass said has caused 'drastic and chaotic escalation.' 7 Tensions unfolded when President Trump ignored California Gov. Gavin Newsom and decided to send the military to the state to limit the ongoing violence. Getty Images 'A week ago, everything was peaceful in the city of Los Angeles,' she said during a news conference Wednesday. 'Things began to be difficult on Friday when raids took place, and it's important that I begin there because that is the cause of the problems that have happened in the city of Los Angeles and other cities. This was provoked by the White House.' The federal troops are largely being used to protect federal buildings and assist ICE officers. 7 Since the raids began, 330 immigrants have been taken into ICE custody. Getty Images Immigration raids in Los Angeles have since intensified, with 330 immigrants taken into custody since federal authorities entered the city last week, the White House confirmed to the Los Angeles Times. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the arrests included 113 individuals who had prior criminal convictions. ICE has targeted Home Depots and agricultural farms, including one in Ventura County early Tuesday morning, where videos posted online showed federal agents chasing after workers attempting to flee at an Oxnard farm. 'These actions are completely unjustified and harmful,' Oxnard Mayor Luis McArthur said. 'They create chaos and distress in our communities without contributing much to public safety. The individual affected by these operations, they're not criminals. They are hardworking families who make meaningful contributions to our local economy and to our greater community.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store