1 year after deadly Hudson River helicopter crash, victims' families, politicians call for stricter regulations
Family members of the victims of the deadly Hudson River helicopter crash and politicians in New York are calling for stricter rules as they remember the six people killed nearly a year ago.
The tragic crash happened on April 10, 2025, when a family of five from Spain was on a sightseeing tour operated by New York Helicopter Tours.
The helicopter broke into pieces in mid-air, and plunged into the Hudson River.
Agustín Escobar Cañadas, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children, ages 4, 8 and 10, were on the helicopter, along with pilot Sean Johnson, a U.S. Navy veteran.
"They were probably at the best moment of their life"
Heartbroken family members of the victims returned to the site of the tragedy to mark one year since the deadly crash.
"They were at this stage of life where they could start traveling with the kids," Joan Camprubi Montal said. "They were probably at the best moment of their life."
"What would have happened if this accident occurred over land? How many more lives would have been lost?" Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said.
The fatal flight was one of 30,000 sightseeing helicopter tours that fly over Manhattan each year. Over the last four decades, 25 people have been killed in helicopter tour crashes in New York City, Hoylman-Sigal said.
"As we prepare for the World Cup, more people will come to the city of New York, and will want to get on these helicopters. We must have safety regulations," Rep. Adriano Espaillat said.
Stronger safety standards for sightseeing helicopters
They are calling attention to the Helicopter Safety Parity Act, which seeks stricter federal safety standards for sightseeing helicopter operations.
New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis introduced the bill Thursday. It aims to "close dangerous regulatory gaps by requiring helicopters carrying fare-paying passengers to meet the same high safety standards."
"Helicopters should be held to the same safety standards as airplanes," Nadler said.
The potential law would also require modern safety equipment such as cockpit voice, flight data recorders and terrain awareness technology. It would also fund FAA oversight, inspections and enforcement of the new standards.
Nadler called it "critical legislation that would close longstanding regulatory loopholes."
The FAA declined to comment on the bill.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is still investigating the crash
Helicopter tours operate under legal loophole, Schumer says
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer previously said many helicopter tour companies are exploiting a legal loophole to avoid more stringent safety rules.
The FAA allows these types of companies to operate under Part 91 regulations originally meant for personal flights rather than stricter rules for commercial flights, he said.
Retired vice chair of the NTSB Bruce Landsberg previously told CBS News New York's Mahsa Saeidi that the FAA rarely inspects facilities under Part 91.
"These are commercial operations. They need to operate at the commercial level, but they're not. They're operating under the 25-mile exemption. That's not right."
The loophole applies when traveling less than 25 miles. It means tour helicopters that take off and land at the same area are under fewer regulations.
The tour company involved shut down operations less than one week after the deadly crash.
