Five passengers who died in a helicopter crash into New York City’s East River on Sunday were strapped into the doorless Airbus AS350 by five-point harnesses and screwed-down carabiner shackles that required a knife to cut through the nylon safety straps that held the occupants inside, according to reports. When the single-engine helicopter went down in the frigid water, emergency floats kept it from sinking and the pilot managed to swim to safety, but the passengers had no way of quick escape. They were dragged by the river’s currents south for 50 blocks, upside down and underwater, before rescue divers reached them.
Helicopter Tour Industry Under Intense Scrutiny after New York Crash
Key Takeaways:
- Five passengers died in an East River helicopter crash, trapped by five-point harnesses that required a knife to cut, preventing escape when the aircraft inverted underwater.
- The "doors-off" tourist flights are criticized for inadequate safety briefings, with passengers reportedly not shown where to find emergency knives to cut their restraints.
- The incident is drawing intense scrutiny to the lack of federal regulations regarding passenger restraints in open-door helicopter tours, with calls for stricter oversight and potential suspensions of operators.
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