Piper PA32 and Eurocopter AS 350 Crash Over Hudson River

New York, NY (AHN) – A Eurocopter AS 350 carrying six people and a private Piper PA32 plane with three aboard crashed in midair, plummeting into the Hudson River on the West Side of Manhattan just after noon Saturday.

Authorities confirmed at least two people were found dead, and there were search efforts for the others, the New York Times reported.

The Coast Guard reported it had rescued one person from the river, CNN reported.

In an afternoon news conference, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that the mission had changed from a rescue to a recovery mission.

In the news conference, Mayor Bloomberg said authorities did not feel the crash was survivable.

Witnesses said the small aircraft that took off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, was piloting south along the river, but appeared to lose control. It collided with the Liberty Harbor Sightseeing Tour helicopter as is banked steeply to the left, the NYTimes reported.

Aboard the helicopter were five Italian tourists and a pilot. Authorities believe the small plane had two passengers, including a child, and a pilot on board.

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