On Monday March 12th, 2018 a helicopter went down with 5 passengers went for a ride to take photographs from above the city. They had spent the weekend sight-seeing, and on Sunday evening boarded the helicopter to capture pictures from above.

These five friends have recently moved to New York on was visiting from Dallas Texas. Sadly posting an instagram video around 7 pm captured the last moments of their lives. The red helicopter they were riding in had just flown over the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge when it plunged into the water of the East River near Roosevelt Island.

The pilot survived, but Cadigan, McDaniel and the three other passengers on board died.

The flight lasted about 11 minutes, according to a flight tracking website. Videos captured by witnesses showed the helicopter descending quickly, capsizing and tilting onto its side, its rotor blades still spinning in the water.

The pilot managed to free himself and call out for help from a flotation device, witnesses told reporters at the scene. A fire boat took the pilot to shore, where an ambulance took him to the nearest hospital.

rescue teams worked in below 40 degree water temperatures and 50 foot deep water with 4 mph water current to remove the passengers from the helicopter. Nigro said. The passengers were all “tightly harnessed,” so emergency fire and police responders had to cut the harnessed.

Two of the passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, three others died later at the hospital. Very tragic event the happened on Monday praying  for the victims families.