New York company that operated helicopter involved in Hudson River tragedy that killed six downs shutters

New York Helicopter Tours, the operator of the helicopter that crashed into New York City's Hudson River on Thursday, April 10, killing a Spanish family of five and the pilot, is shutting down immediately, according to the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA announced Sunday that New York Helicopter Tours, which operated the Bell 206 chopper, “is shutting down their operations immediately.” The agency also said it would begin an immediate review of the company's license and safety record.

New York Helicopter Tours is "shutting down their operations immediately," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement posted on social media platform X on Sunday.

"The FAA will be launching an immediate review of the tour operator's license and safety record," the aviation regulator said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the helicopter crash, which occurred during a sightseeing flight over Manhattan.

In the tragic incident, a senior business executive, his wife and three children were killed along with the pilot when the chopper operated by New York Helicopter Tours malfunctioned and plunged into the Hudson River shortly after take off.

The operator described the tour as the "ultimate sightseeing tour of New York City."

Jersey City officials told AFP that the possible causes of the crash include a drone collision, bird strike or mechanical failure.

No flight recorder

On Saturday, the NTSB saidthe helicopter did not have any flight recorders, and no video or data recording equipment had captured the incident.

Investigators said NYPD divers are continuing to search for parts of the helicopter, including the main rotor, gearbox, tail rotor and the tail boom.

A video circulating on social media appears to show the fuselage apparently detaching from the rotor mid-air.

The crash has ignited concerns over aviation safety in the US, coming just months after a string of deadly crashes, including the collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington in January that claimed 67 lives.

Three people die in air crash in Florida

On Friday, April 11, a light aircraft crashed after taking off from Boca Raton airport in Florida, killing three people, according to local media reports. Investigators suspect a mechanical issue.