2.27 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

No indication helicopter crash is terror related: New York City Mayor

Firefighters work on the scene of a helicopter that crash-landed on top of a high-rise in midtown Manhattan in New York. (AFP)

Published
By Wam

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said there is no indication that today's helicopter crash is terror related.

The helicopter was only in the air for 11 minutes, officials said.

"At approximately 1:32 this afternoon, the helicopter took off at the 34th Street heliport and about 11 minutes later crashed across the street from where we are now," Police Commissioner James O'Neill said at a news conference.

Quoted by CNN, O'Neill said the first 911 calls came in at 1:43 p.m. ET and reported a crash and a fire on top of a 54-story office building on 7th Avenue.

Officials said several agencies are working together to figure out why the helicopter was in the area, and what went wrong.

New York authorities have preliminarily identified the pilot who died in Monday’s helicopter crash.

"We have him preliminarily identified, but it’s not confirmed yet. Plus we’re looking out for his family too," NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said in a news conference.

Asked if the pilot made a stress call from the helicopter, O'Neill said, "That’s part of the investigation – to see if there was any contact made with air traffic control."