Helicopter Crashes Into Hudson River in New York City

A helicopter plummeted from the skies above New York City on Thursday, crashing into the Hudson River -- and the terrifying incident was caught on video.

Multiple people have been killed, according to various local reports. Several shocked eyewitnesses recorded the chopper on video -- a portion of it can be seen at the surface of the water .... while the rest appeared to be submerged.

According to police, the helicopter came down near Pier 40 at Hudson River Park, but closer to the New Jersey side of the river, shortly after 3 PM local time.

Witnesses reportedly described hearing a "loud thumping noise" at the time of the crash.

According to preliminary reports, emergency boats immediately responded to the crash. Local news outlets report 6 people were onboard, and all were killed -- including the pilot, 2 other adults, and 3 children. ABC7 New York reports the passengers were a family visiting from Spain.

The cause of the crash has not been determined.