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A helicopter on an aerial tour of New York City crashed into the Hudson River yesterday afternoon. Luckily none of the eight people - seven passenger and a pilot - were injured.
The Liberty Travel helicopter had only been in the air for a couple minutes, after leaving West 30th Street, before experiencing engine problems. According to the Post, chopper was "able to make a controlled landing then stay afloat using emergency inflatable pontoons." Then the passengers and pilot jumped into the water after putting on lifejackets.
One of the passengers was Jose Mejia, who happened to be an EMT. Mejia doesn't know how to swim and was given the helicopter tour as an anniversary present from his girlfriend, who was also on the tour. He told reporters, "I heard the propellers going and heard the engine making a very loud noise. We went straight into the water." He added, "The pilot was amazing, she really deserves my utmost praise." Mejia's girlfriend Zaira Machado said, "Some anniversary. One we'll never forget."
Civilian boats picked up the passengers and pilots from the water, including a Circle Line "Beast." The Beast's captain Mike Duffy told the Times he heard the crash and got there in 45 seconds from Pier 83 in Manhattan. He said, "It was pretty calm. It wasn’t your typical disaster.” The Coast Guard took the passengers to Pier 83 to be looked over.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating why the helicopter crashed into the water. In 2005, a sightseeing single-engine Cessna crashed on a Coney Island beach, killing the pilot and three passengers, and a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the East River with no fatalities.
Photographs of the helicopter in the river taken by reader Michelle who lives in Weehawken
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One of the passengers was Jose Mejia, who happened to be an EMT. Mejia doesn't know how to swim
Shouldn't the ability to swim be a basic job requirement for an EMT?
why?
emt's mostly work on the streets....
Helicopters are a waste of time.
People certainly do use the word "crashes" loosely.
The headline should read, "Helicopter Crashes in Hudson; No One Seriously Gives a Hoot!"
I work at Pier 83 and saw the helicopter hit the water. It wasn't a crash but an emergency landing. But this is serious stuff because this company (Liberty Helicopters) has developed a reputation for emergency landings even over the past two years. So to anyone that doesn't give a hoot, perhaps you'd change your mind if you were in a chopper and were trusting your life to a company like this one. The pilot was obviously very skilled and made the right quick decisions, but it was engine failure. I feel sorry for the pilot as well.