The familiar sight of tour helicopters crisscrossing New York City’s skies may soon disappear following a recent tragedy and calls for increased regulation or outright cessation of these flights.
Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) is advocating for stricter oversight, or even the elimination of tourist helicopter tours, after a devastating incident occurred on Thursday where six people perished when a tour helicopter crashed into the Hudson River. This latest event echoes a similar tragedy in 2018, when five lives were lost following a crash by another tour helicopter into the East River.
Malliotakis stated that these helicopters have long been a source of concern and disruption for her constituents on Staten Island. She emphasized their frequent flights over densely populated areas, making the recent accident even more alarming.
“Staten Island residents remain deeply worried about the constant presence of low-flying tour helicopters, which often traverse their neighborhoods at all hours,” Malliotakis stated. “To prevent another tragedy, these tourist helicopter flights over NYC must be more heavily regulated and restricted, if not come to an end entirely.” She conveyed her condolences to the grieving families.
The congresswoman has previously brought this issue to the attention of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and the Biden administration. In October, she alleged that some operators were disregarding FAA regulations by flying at dangerously low altitudes, a practice compounded by excessive noise levels that residents find intolerable.
Despite concerns, tour helicopters remain popular with tourists seeking aerial views of iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Central Park. Tens of thousands participate in these tours annually.
Thursday’s crash occurred at approximately 3:15 p.m., involving a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV operated by New York Helicopter Tours. Eyewitness videos captured the horrifying moments leading up to the accident, showing the helicopter breaking apart and plunging into the Hudson River near Jersey City.
The footage revealed detached rotor blades impacting the water as the aircraft descended upside down. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Among the deceased were:
- Agustin Escobar
- Merce Camprubi Montal
- Three children of Mr. Escobar and Ms. Montal
- The 36-year-old pilot
This is not the first time a tour helicopter has experienced a fatal crash in New York City. In 2018, a Eurocopter AS350 B2 operated by Liberty Helicopters for FlyNYON also crashed into the East River, claiming the lives of all five passengers.
The NTSB investigation of the 2018 incident determined that an inadvertent activation of the fuel shutoff lever, triggered by a passenger’s harness tether, resulted in engine failure. While the water landing itself was considered survivable, the design of the harness system prevented passengers from escaping the sinking aircraft.
