10th June 2019

One dead in helicopter crash on NYC skyscraper

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By BBC

BBC - The pilot of a helicopter died after it crash landed on top of a skyscraper in Manhattan, fire officials say.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the office building close to Times Square shook from the impact.

Governor Cuomo said the crash sparked a rooftop fire, which was brought under control. Some were evacuated from the tower, but none were hurt.

He said New Yorkers have "a level of PTSD from 9/11" when they hear news of an aircraft crash in Manhattan.

The pilot has been named by local media as Tim McCormack.

He was the only person aboard the Agusta A109E helicopter, said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The incident happened at around 14:00 (18:00GMT) on a rainy and foggy Monday on Seventh Avenue.

Governor Cuomo said preliminary reports indicate there was no indication of foul play.

He told reporters at the scene: "There was a helicopter that made a forced landing, emergency landing, or landed on the roof of the building for one reason or another.

There was a fire that happened when the helicopter hit the roof. People that were in the building said that they felt the building shake."

He added: "If you're a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD, right, from 9/11. And I remember that morning all too well.

"So as soon as you hear an aircraft hit a building, I think my mind goes where every New Yorker's mind goes."

Speaking at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump said the crash was "a big tragedy" and "a very sad event".

No debris was visible on the pavement or road below the scene of the AXA Equitable building, which is about 750ft (229m) and more than 50 storeys high.

Michaela Dudley, of Hoboken, New Jersey, was working in the building that the helicopter crashed into. and described feeling "a small tremor".

"I started hearing the blare of sirens and knew something bad had happened," the 30-year-old lawyer said.

New York Commissioner James O'Neill told a news conference the helicopter was engaged in "executive travel" at the time of the crash.

The city's top police officer added that the aircraft had taken off from a helipad on 34th Street and may have been heading to its home airport in Linden, New Jersey.

Mr O'Neill said its reason for flying in such poor weather will be "part of the investigation".

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