The operator of the helicopter involved in a crash that killed six people in New York last week is shutting down immediately, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“New York Helicopter Tours — the company involved in the deadly crash on the Hudson earlier this week — is shutting down their operations immediately,” the FAA said in a statement on X on Sunday night.
“Additionally, the FAA will be launching an immediate review of the tour operator’s license and safety record.”
The FAA also said it will continue to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.
New York Helicopter Tours could not be reached for comment.
The FAA said it is analyzing helicopter and airplane hotspots across the US and will host a helicopter safety panel on April 22 to discuss findings, risks, and additional mitigation measures.
“Safety is the FAA’s number one priority, and we will not hesitate to act to protect the flying public,” the agency said.
On Saturday, the NTSB said that the tourism helicopter was not equipped with any flight recorders and that the accident occurred during the aircraft’s eighth flight of the day.
“No onboard video recorders or camera recorders have been recovered and none of the helicopter avionics onboard recorded information that could be used for the investigation,” the NTSB said in an update.
It added that the helicopter’s last “major” inspection took place on March 1.
The crash into the Hudson River near Manhattan on Thursday killed a Siemens executive, his wife, their three children, and a pilot.
Agustín Escobar, 49, was the global CEO of Siemens Mobility’s rail unit. His wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, worked for the company as the global commercialization manager for its energy division.
