April 14 (UPI) — The Federal Aviation Administration has announced that the New York City tour operator of a helicopter that crashed last week in the Hudson River, killing all six on board, has immediately shut down operations.
The FAA made the announcement Sunday night on X.
It said it was launching “an immediate review” of New York Helicopter Tours’ license and safety record while supporting the National Transportation Safety Board’s ongoing investigation in to the crash.
It was not clear if the cessation of operations was voluntary or FAA ordered.
The announcement came after Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on federal authorities earlier Sunday to halt New York Helicopter Tours’ ability to operate and to ensure others like it are safe.
“We know there is one thing for sure about New York City’s helicopter tour companies: They have a deadly track record,” he said during a press conference with the Hudson River behind him.
“One of the things we can do to honor those lives and try and save others is to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Five Spanish tourists and a pilot died Thursday afternoon when the helicopter they were aboard crashed upside down into the Hudson River.
The victims have been identified as Agustin Escobar, a senior executive with Siemens, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, their three young children and pilot Seankese Johnson.
Video of the crash circulating online shows the helicopter crashing into the body of water after its main rotor and tail broke apart mid-flight.
Schumer said the NTSB is deploying divers in search of the main rotor and gearback, “which will give a lot of clues as to what happened.”
