A fatal crash in the Hudson River on Thursday became the latest tragedy in a long line of helicopter accidents around New York City, with excited tourists turning to the popular attraction to get a unique vantage point of the Big Apple. 

Elaina Latona was one of the countless sightseers excited to take in the views of Manhattan from the air. Latona was invited by her friend on a last-minute chopper ride over Manhattan on March 28, less than two weeks before the fatal crash. 

“I was a little nervous about it because of all the plane accidents that have been happening,” Latona told Fox News Digital. “They gave us little tiny life jackets. And I even said, if anything were to happen, how would this save me?”

Police and firefighters work on the site after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Manhattan, on April 10, 2025 in New York, United States. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In 2011, three family members died after a chopper plunged into the East River. Two years earlier, nine Italian tourists were killed after their sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River. 

In light of Thursday’s crash, lawmakers are calling for reform within New York City’s airspace. 

New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is reportedly looking to restrict flights over Manhattan to law enforcement, members of the media and necessary transport. 

Hoylman-Sigal did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation requiring a helipad on West 30th Street in Manhattan to be moved from Hudson River Park, citing safety concerns. 

“We averted disaster possibly by just minutes,” Hoylman-Sigal told ABC 7. “That is the concern here. Which is if a helicopter gets in trouble in a densely populated area like Manhattan, the disaster could be far worse.” 

Fox News Digital’s Jacqliene Mangini and The Associated Press contributed to this report.