NTSB: 3 bodies recovered from Hudson

(NECN: New York, N.Y.) – The National Transportation Safety Board said that three of nine victims of the helicopter-plane collision over the Hudson River have been recovered. NTSB chair Debbie Hersman said that recovery operations were called off for the day and were to resume on Sunday morning. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said earlier in the day that it was believed that the collision was “not survivable.” NTSB investigators spoke with another pilot who witnessed the crash. “He saw a small single-engine aircraft approaching behind the helicopter. He radioed the accident helicopter and told them, ‘One Lime Hotel, you have a fixed-wing behind you’. There was no response from the pilot,” Hersman said. “He stated that he saw the right wing of the airplane contact the helicopter. He saw helicopter parts and the right wing fall, and both aircraft decended into the Hudson River.” The area is known to be a busy air traffic corridor, and has seen its share of accidents in recent years. New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle died after his small plane crashed into a New York City high-rise in 2006. In January 2009, a commercial airliner landed in the Hudson shortly after takeoff, but no deaths occurred. The incident was dubbed the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Material from The Associated Press used in this report.