3:55 P.M. One of Five People on Chopper Still Unaccounted For.
Paul J. Browne, the Police Department's chief spokesman, said the helicopter had five people on board when it crashed into the East River, off 34th Street.
"The pilot and three passengers are out of the water," said Mr. Browne. "And one is unaccounted for."
Mr. Browne declined to describe the conditions of those who were taken from the water.
The age and gender of the missing person was not immediately known.
Mr. Browne said that five New York Police Department boats were on scene and that N.Y.P.D. divers were in the water, searching.
"The helicopter is submerged in an estimated 50 feet of water," said Mr. Browne.
He said the helicopter had attempted to take off moments before the mishap.
"It was departing 34th Street, and appeared to have some sort of trouble and tried to come back," said Mr. Browne, who could not detail, immediately, the trouble the craft encountered.
It then crashed.
He could not describe what type of helicopter was being used - but stressed it was "not a tour company."
3:52 P.M. Flight Conditions Were Fine.
Brian Tolbert, the manager of the Downtown Manhattan Heliport near Wall Street, said that conditions for flying on Tuesday were fine. He said helicopter pilots were flying in the city using "visual flight rules" because visibility was so good that it was not necessary to rely on instruments for guidance.
Mr. Tolbert said he did not immediately know anything about the crash, but he said he did not believe that the helicopter in the river belonged to any of the operators that use the Wall Street heliport.
- Patrick McGeehan
NYTimes.com
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