Investigators probe helicopter tragedy

FIVE KILLED BUT PILOT SURVIVES

A TEXAS firefighter, an Argentinian woman and a video journalist were among five passengers killed when a helicopter plunged into New York City’s East River, after the pilot reported the engine had failed.

Investigators are working to determine what caused Sunday night’s crash, which killed everyone on board except the pilot, who managed to free himself as the helicopter flipped over and rapidly sank into the water.

As the aircraft foundered, he made a mayday call and added: “East River – engine failure.”

The passengers included Fire-Rescue Officer Brian McDaniel; Trevor Cadigan, a video journalist who hailed from Dallas but had recently worked at a business news site in New York; and Carla Vallejos Blanco, who was from Argentina, according to its consulate.

Mr McDaniel, 26, had been with the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department since May 2016.

“Despite his short tenure, hearts are heavy with grief,” the department said in a statement.

Mr Cadigan, also 26, had most recently been an intern at Business Insider until a few weeks ago.

“He was a smart, talented, and ambitious young journalist and producer who was well-liked and made a big contribution,” the news site said in a statement.

The cause of the crash has not been determined.