Nine people are dead after a sightseeing helicopter and a light aircraft collided near New York City and crashed into the Hudson River.
The collision occurred at midday on Saturday between Hoboken in New Jersey and Manhattan, just across the river. The weather at the time was reported to be clear and mild.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says six people - the pilot and five Italian tourists - were on the helicopter. Three people including a child were on the plane.
Three bodies had been recovered by nightfall and officials held out no hope of finding survivors.
New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says a helicopter pilot on the ground saw the aircraft approaching each other and unsuccessfully tried to radio a warning to them before they collided.
Mr Bloomberg said the plane, a Piper Saratoga, appeared to hit the back of the helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350, which immediately broke up and fell into the river.
The helicopter was operated by Liberty Helicopter, the largest sightseeing helicopter operator in the US Northeast.
Debbie Hersman, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said in a briefing the helicopter had been located and marked with buoys and investigators were using side-scanning radar to try to locate the aircraft.
In January, an Airbus jet operated by US Airways lost power over New York after hitting a flock of geese, but the pilot made a successful splash landing in the Hudson, just off Manhattan, with no loss of life.
