NZ children’s book author Graci Kim forgoes US tour amid political concerns

Arts & Culture, Books

She had planned another tour to celebrate Dreamslinger‘s release later this month, but the acclaimed author recently shared with Facebook followers that securing school visits had become “increasingly difficult”, especially “for certain groups of writers”.“As a writer of Korean heritage, with a Korean name, and with books that draw inspiration from Korean culture and mythology, my visit could be seen as a ‘diversity and inclusion’ initiative, and therefore something that could invite scrutiny and challenge from their schools, boards, or authorities,” Kim shared on Facebook.In a conversation with the Herald, the 38-year-old author and mother said while many factors dictate these decisions, feedback from teachers suggested there were concerns her books could become targets in the culture war debate affecting US schools.“What I was hearing was definitely fear,” Kim said, adding American teachers and librarians face “so much uncertainty” in a fractious socio-political landscape.AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.“I’ve done school visits without any problem, public events with great support. This is definitely a marked change,” she said.Kim pointed to broader challenges American schools currently face, including budget cuts in education (particularly for library-related resources), changes in youth reading patterns, and the rollback of DEI initiatives, which she believes have made it harder for writers like her to find a platform willing to promote their work.“Does it make a difference that I am who I am and I write what I write? I think absolutely, yes.”Despite her setback in the US, Kim says she’s received “so much support” at home from schools, readers, and her publisher, which is “something for us to be proud of” as Kiwis.Kim plans to undergo an in-person US tour later this year, “with the hope that the landscape has shifted somewhat by then”. Photo / 123rf“My local publisher here, Penguin Random House, they’ve got an awesome school tour organised in May and it’s just a completely different world”.Meanwhile, Kim’s US publisher, Disney, is continuing to support Dreamslinger‘s rollout in American bookstores while organising a “belated” in-person tour towards the end of the year, “with the hope that the landscape has shifted somewhat by then”.Acknowledging it’s still a “crappy situation” to be in, Kim sees her continued writing as both “an act of rebellion” and an “act of joy and compassion”.She says the experience has also highlighted how many educators, booksellers and publishers are “trying their best to counter the uncertainty” that writers and readers alike are facing.“I’m going to continue writing these stories because I have a sense of responsibility for these kids that I write for, and I refuse to let them down”, Kim said.“Whatever the circumstances are, the choice to keep writing is mine and mine only, and that’s something that no one can take from me”.AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.Dreamslinger publishes on April 29 and is available for pre-order now from penguin.co.nz.Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.

One Of The Best Martial Arts Movies Ever Is Getting A TV Series From A Star Trek Veteran

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Sony Pictures Classics

Conventional wisdom dictates that there’s no way to improve on perfection, but since when has that ever stopped streaming companies when there’s money to be made? In today’s latest instance of truly nothing being sacred anymore, Deadline has revealed the news that Prime Video is moving forward with a series adaptation of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” the story made most famous by director Ang Lee’s soaring, sumptuous, and sweepingly romantic wuxia classic. The 2000 film was based on the Chinese novel of the same name by author Wang Dulu, which was actually the fourth installment of a larger saga called the “Crane-Iron Series.” This new streaming show will apparently take its cues from that original source material, as opposed to simply remaking the film.
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Regardless of whether this is merely a brazen IP grab or a truly inspired attempt to modernize a seriously compelling story, however, there’s no denying the talent involved in bringing it to life. The creative team already on board this project includes Jason Ning (known for his work on the Fox show “Lucifer,” the Peacock series “Mrs. Davis,” and “The Expanse”) as a writer/executive producer and, most intriguingly, “Star Trek” veteran and “Battlestar Galactica” overseer Ronald D. Moore as executive producer, who’s also attached as showrunner on the “God of War” Prime Video series. There’s no word on any potential casting or even a start date for production, as Deadline only vaguely describes the series as currently “developing” over at Amazon and Sony Pictures Television. Whenever this comes to fruition, it’s worth wondering among fans of the Lee film whether this will even come close to the (very literal) heights of what came before.
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Is it worth making another adaptation of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon when the 2000 film exists?

Sony Pictures Classics

Only two words come to mind for anyone tasked with trying to come up with another take on “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon:” Good luck. The highly-successful and Oscar-winning 2000 film told the story of famed swordsman Master Li Mu Bai (played by Chow Yun-Fat) and fellow warrior Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh), two lifelong friends harboring not-so-secret romantic feelings for one another. When bandits attempt to steal a venerated sword called the Green Destiny, their loyalty and code of honor compels them to embark on an epic adventure to track the bad guys down, though not before they cross paths with a much younger pair of unlikely lovers (Ziyi Zhang’s Jen and Chang Chen’s Lo). Oh, and there’s also a bunch of sword-fighting action and set pieces unlike any other film in the 21st Century, complete with incredible wirework and impeccable choreography. Folks, it’s a classic for a reason.
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All of this raises the question of what Prime Video could possibly do that “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” didn’t already accomplish. There’s probably an argument to be made that recent success stories like “Shōgun” (which is somehow getting a second season), similarly representing a fresh take on an older adaptation, prove that there is a precedent for what this new series is attempting to pull off. Whether this actually manages to do so, or simply ends up reminding viewers of a much better adaptation, remains to be seen. We’ll be keeping a close (and somewhat skeptical) eye on this one, so stay tuned to /Film as more updates come in.

Business startups cover diverse array of services

Business News

Lakehead University has helped to launch four student business startups this month with the students graduating from the sixth cohort of Ingenuity’s Ascend Accelerator Program.Each chosen startup project receives funding from the John Dobson Foundation, along with mentorship and weekly workshops, and students are held accountable to milestone goals created throughout the 10-week boot camp-style program.Alyson MacKay, Ingenuity manager, said each year they choose the top 10 applicants with the help of a selection panel.”It’s the budget that dictates taking four business ideas,” she said. “They can be a team, they can be a sole proprietor, but it’s the budget that dictates the four.”This year, one of the startups was from the university’s Orillia campus.”Every time I run this program, the ideas are just so expansive and all so very different,” MacKay said.Students in this cohort are managing their regular program classes while doing the Accelerator program on the side.This year’s graduates include Wenlong Yang, an international student who has been pursuing his master’s of business administration (MBA) at Lakehead University since September. His business, called Trippal, creates engaging activities for children during travel and commutes, helping parents reduce screen time while fostering meaningful interactions.”I came to Thunder Bay with an initial entrepreneurial background, having started my educational product brand, Chefan, in 2021 after becoming a father,” he said.

“I chose Lakehead’s MBA program to strengthen my business skills and grow the company further. During my studies, I discovered the Ingenuity program, which has been a great window.”Alexey Babich and Anirudh Shahi have created Ellow Technologies Inc., which specializes in the design and fabrication of custom radioactive objects using advanced 3D printing technology, addressing the needs of medical imaging, research, and industrial applications.”Our main goal is to revolutionize how medical and research institutions work with radiation,” Babich said.”Realistically, it would take months to develop our prototype and years to secure all the necessary certifications. We believe the world is entering a harsh global recession that could take years to recover from. With government budgets shrinking and private investors becoming more cautious, raising funds for such scientific startups will become more difficult.”To achieve their main objective in this environment, Babich says they must establish a small but stable cash flow.”Our second objective is to provide 3D printing/industrial adaptation services and design services for 3D printing here in Thunder Bay as a stand-on-its-own as a business,” she said.”As the economy struggles, businesses will look for ways to sustain their profit margins and this creates an opportunity for us to provide industrial-quality replacements at better prices.”Also graduating is Thomas Collins with his startup business, Algol Research and Development. Algol RnD is a company dedicated to transforming proven research into a formal, commercial product and is currently working on commercializing a gasoline-operated, autonomous waterborne drone for performing hydrographic surveys in environments unsafe for human operators.Graduate Ty Williams was successful in starting Northern Lawn Services, which is a lawn and landscaping business that operates out of Barrie, Ontario.

GU’s display in Hemmingson raises awareness of banned books

Arts & Culture, Books

Gonzaga University’s Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center and Foley Library collaborated to raise awareness on the censorship of LGBTQ+ literature through a display of popular banned books, quotes and general information about the topic in the John J. Hemmingson Center rotunda Monday through Wednesday.The three-day display also included a banned book reading on Tuesday in Hemmingson’s Joann Jundt Lounge, which was open to anyone interested in reading literature of their choosing. On Wednesday, librarians from both Spokane Public Library and Foley Library led a discussion panel on the effects of banning books and ways to resist the practice.Matthew Barcus, the Lincoln Center’s program manager, said the event was not identity based, but was geared toward the whole GU community. Barcus said the center’s collaboration with the library showed that the subject matter can affect anyone and that the event will promote free speech and ideas on campus.
“It’s important to stand up against silencing of voices and removal of information, because we want things to be accessible,” Barcus said. “We want people to be able to have conversations that we may not agree with and see things from a different perspective.”Ann Ciasullo, a GU professor of English and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, said this exhibit is very relevant today, with the number of book bans increasing significantly in the last few years.“I don’t know if we’ve done something like this before,” Ciasullo said. “It’s quite timely.”Ciasullo, who read at the event, said that book bans are often based on a misunderstanding of the text.“Whenever I hear about books being banned, I always look at why. Usually, it’s something in the book that’s taken out of context,” Ciasullo said. “We’re used to seeing things in snippets [or] posts on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook — even news stories. They don’t give the fuller context.”Barcus said that book bans could target literature beyond LGBTQ+ themes.“What they start with now might be LGBTQ+ things and diversity, but what if they start removing books about witchcraft?” Barcus said. “Then you lose ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and all these great books. There’s something for somebody to object to in most literature.”Ciasullo shared similar thoughts, saying that even religious texts could contain objectionable material.“If we’re banning books, then the Bible also has a lot of stuff in it,” Ciasullo said. “Just because the Bible mentions sex, does that mean it should be banned?”
Ciasullo also said that book bans have targeted themes concerning racial identity.“There seems to be a focus on banning books that put people in groups, which would be any book that highlights racism,” Ciasullo said.One of Ciasullo’s favorite childhood reads, “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton, is one book that has come under fire.”That book was banned, which seems crazy to me,” Ciasullo said.Because a significant number of book bans are not initiated by legislators or politicians, Barcus said he thinks GU’s exhibit is not necessarily political. “[Book bans] can come from community members [or] parents — folks who may not have a political position but want to assert their worldview on what other people have access to,” Barcus said. While the GU community has not banned any books, Barcus said he wants the event to raise awareness for places that are actively doing so. “Luckily, it’s not happening on our campus, but we want to recognize that this is happening in other places,” Barcus said. “And as part of our Jesuit values, we want to stand up to that.”

Regional business leaders meet Bank of England as economic uncertainty continues

Business News

Business leaders meet the Bank of EnglandGlobal uncertainty is making it harder to forecast the outlook for the UK economy businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire have been told.Representatives from a range of companies in the city and county met Glynn Jones, the Bank of England’s Deputy Agent for the West Midlands, at Coventry Conferences at the TechnoCentre.Glynn was there to hear from firms in order to feedback intelligence to the Bank to help it understand the sentiment within the regional economy.He heard how the increase in National Insurance contributions is impacting businesses across the area, as well as the uncertainty being caused by tariffs being imposed by the USA and more generally how local businesses are being affected by domestic and global uncertainties.Glynn said: “It’s not easy to set the context for the economy because things are changing and evolving at pace.“We made a forecast in February but recent announcements coming out of the USA will have a material impact on the outlook for growth and inflation. However, what we do know is that the UK economy is fairly stagnant and has been for some time.“There are threats to the economy on both the upside and the downside and there is a huge amount of uncertainty.“This makes it difficult to forecast growth and is especially challenging for monetary policy given the long lags involved before changes in Bank Rate feed fully through to the economy.”Corin Crane, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The only thing that has been certain for businesses over recent years has been uncertainty. One business around the table has been operating for seven years and they said they didn’t know what normal looks like!“So, it is great to be able to have this conversation with the Bank of England and to talk about the daily issues being faced by businesses.“As the voice of business, it’s our role to ensure that decision-makers hear directly from those who matter most – our members who are working day and night to grow and make a positive contribution to the local economy.”Continue Reading

Why Crisis-Hit Destinations Also Need Tourism To Recover?

Travel

At the end of March, South Korea was grappling with the worst wildfire crisis in its history. So far in 2025, South Korea has recorded 244 wildfires (2.4 times more than during the same period last year), as reported by CNN, signaling a troubling escalation in frequency and severity.

Earlier this year, in January, Southern California battled with a destructive series of wildfires that swept through six counties, burning more than 40,000 acres. Cal Fire said 95% of California’s past wildfires have been caused by humans.

Human-induced climate change made also 71% of 504 global extreme weather events analyzed by Carbon Brief more severe than they would have been without it. Does this mean that crisis will become the norm and not the exception?

When disaster strikes, whether it’s a wildfire, hurricane or flood, travelers often cancel plans out of caution or sensitivity. But for many destinations, tourism isn’t just a luxury industry; it is a vital to their economy.

In crisis-hit destinations, the return of visitors can mean the difference between recovery and prolonged hardship. From Maui to the Pantanal, disaster recovery needs more than aids, it needs travelers too.

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MauiHistoric buildings in the tourist town of Lahaina on the coast of Maui, Hawaii.getty

In August 2023, wildfires swept across Maui, claiming 101 lives, destroying 6,721 acres of the historic town of Lahaina and demolishing 2,173 structures, according to the report of the Department of Fire and Public Safety at The County of Maui. The island’s economy faced a sudden standstill.

Two months after the wildfires, Governor Josh Green, M.D., announced the reopening of Kā‘anapali, Nāpili, Honokōwai, and Kapalua in West Maui on October 8. He also encouraged residents and visitors “to make travel plans to Maui and support the island’s businesses, restaurants, retail outlets, attractions and accommodations.”
The newest development came on February 19, 2025, when The County of Maui announced that all 148 commercial lots in Lahaina had been cleared of wildfire debris following the earlier cleanup of 1,390 residential properties reported on August 2024. It is good news for property owners since they can now apply for building permits to rebuild what was lost.An aerial image taken on August 10, 2023 shows destroyed homes and buildings burned to the ground in … More Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.AFP via Getty Images
However, full recovery is still a long way to go. Lahaina Small Boat Harbor suffered $30 million in damage, leaving around 1,000 industry workers and commercial operations without a place of work. Hawaii Tribune reported that state officials named the lack of funding to set any timeline for reopening.
In an email interview, Sherry Duong, executive director for Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau, shared with me that Maui welcomes visitors to explore all parts of the island, including Lahaina, where many businesses are open again.
She emphasized that travelers play an essential role in helping the community remain resilient and continue to recover. Visitors can make a meaningful contribution by supporting local businesses and participating in local events like the weekly farmers’ markets or the cultural festivals.
ValenciaAerial view of the roof of the Cathedral and the old town of Valencia, Spain. getty
In late October 2024, the province of Valencia experienced catastrophic flooding after 12 inches of rain fell in multiple locations. On October 29, Chiva received nearly 20 inches of rain in just eight hours, leading to severe flash floods and mudslides.
Associated Press reported at least over 200 fatalities in the Valencia region and significant economic damage, estimated at approximately $3.8 billion, impacting infrastructure, homes and industries.
Miguel Angel Peréz, brand and marketing director at Visit Valencia, shared via email that the floods affected less than 5% of the city. Three outer districts bore the brunt of the impact, but none included major tourist attractions.
However, the damage was more significant in rural areas—home to many workers and suppliers who sustain Valencia’s tourism industry. “Since 15% of GDP comes from tourism, we need the economy to be very strong to support the damaged neighboring areas,” Peréz said.
As a Valencia resident, Alex Penadés, chief marketing officer at Avantio, a vacation rental software company, not only witnessed the damage firsthand but also saw how people from every corner of Spain reached out and came to help. “We (as Valencia residents) appreciated all the help. Seeing people reacting so fast was very emotional,” he said during our Zoom interview.Volunteers and residents clear mud from street as the area recovers from a widespread flooding on … More November 09, 2024 in the municipality of Massanassa, Valencia, Spain.Getty Images
Penadás invites tourists back to Valencia now. “We, as people of Valencia, understand that international tourism is a good thing. We are friendly people and grateful for tourism. Visitors are needed now more than ever,” he said.
Peréz also highlighted that Valencia indeed needs the positive energy and happiness that visitors usually bring. “It is not just a question of money; tourism is also about sharing happiness,” he said.
Penadás calls this disaster an opportunity to shape tourism and establish how Valencian people want future tourism to be.
This aligns with what Carlos Mazón, president of the Regional Government of Valencia, announced during the International Tourism Fair. “Our goal is to continue growing, but always in a sustainable and environmentally respectful way. The Region of Valencia has been a pioneer in implementing responsible tourism policies. We are the first region in Spain to have a tourism strategy certified by AENOR, which endorses our commitment to sustainability,” Mazón said, as reported by Euronews.
PantanalAerial view of Pantanal Biome in Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil before the latest wildfire. getty
In 2024, Brazil’s Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, faced unprecedented wildfires with over 8 million acres burning down, said Isabelle Bueno, project manager at Instituto Homem Pantaneiro, a non-profit civil society organization working to conserve and preserve the Pantanal biome and local culture.
Fire is part of the natural regeneration, but not when large fires come after each other in short succession. “The main threat is severe drought, aggravated by climate change,” said Bueno in an email interview.A dead alligator lies beside the Transpantaneira park road in the Pantanal wetlands in Mato Grosso … More state, Brazil, on September 14, 2020 after a devastating wildlfire.AFP via Getty Images
The wildfires in 2020 and 2024 heavily damaged the Serra do Amolar region, home to one of the world’s largest free-living jaguar populations. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources listed jaguars as a ‘near threatened’ species in 2016 on its Red List. Still, this assessment came before these two devastating fires, significantly impacting their habitat.A jaguar is looking at a camera with its tail up, surrounded by water hyacinths in the Pantanal … More wetlands in Brazil.getty
“Serra do Amolar in Pantanal is one of Brazil’s key regions for ecotourism,” said Bueno. It is an area with rich biodiversity that brings together the Cerrado, the Amazon, and the Atlantic Rainforest in a 50-mile-long mountain range.
“Tourism provides essential support for conservation efforts,” she explained. The Pantanal region offers a wide range of experiences, from wildlife safaris and birdwatching to floating tours and community-led initiatives, supporting local economies and ecological preservation. This makes Pantanal a perfect example of how tourism can serve as a powerful business model for conservation.
“It is a remote region of unrivaled beauty and hundreds of species of animals, which can only be reached by boat, navigating the Paraguay River from Corumbá or by air,” she said. In 2025, they plan to increase the number of local boat drivers who can guide travelers along the Paraguay River, sharing wildlife sightings and stories along the way.
“We have noticed that tourists are increasingly interested in observing the natural beauty and listening to the stories of those who live their daily lives in these places,” she explained.
Jasper, CanadaStreet view of Jasper at the Hazel Avenue and Connaught Drive crossroad, Alberta, Canada. getty
In the summer of 2024, Jasper experienced its most significant wildfire in over a century, impacting residential areas and surrounding forests, spanning over 79,000 acres.
Tyler Riopel, CEO of Tourism Jasper, confirmed in an email interview that “While 20% of accommodations were affected, the iconic attractions, such as Maligne Lake, Miette Hot Springs, Pyramid Lake, Athabasca Falls, or Jasper SkyTram, remained unchanged and fully operational.” He attributes this to Jasper’s reopening to travelers by September 2024.
He also noted, “While some forested areas surrounding Jasper look different, this presents a unique opportunity to witness firsthand how forests recover and regenerate after a wildfire.”An aerial photo shows wildfire smoke rising over Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada on July 23, … More 2024. (Photo by Alberta Wildfire/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)Anadolu via Getty Images
Estelle Blanchette, founder of Jasper Food Tours, is turning that opportunity into a memorable experience for visitors.
She transformed her backcountry cooking tour into a guided storytelling hike. It is called the Wildfire Peak-Nic Tour, an approx. 2.5-mile guided hike through the impacted area that showcases the forest’s recovery. Travelers will learn about local ecology and wildfire’s role in renewal along the way. The tour ends with a hot lunch and 360-degree panoramic views of Jasper’s regenerating landscape.
To the question of what the best way to support Jasper is, Riopel answered by saying: “Simply by visiting.”

NYC Helicopter Plunges Into River, Killing 6, Including Family Of Spanish Tourists

Travel

A New York Fire Department Marine 1 boat departs from Pier 40, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York, across from where a helicopter went down in the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz)via Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — A New York City sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair Thursday and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists in the latest U.S. aviation disaster, officials said.The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and three children, in addition to the pilot, a person briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press. The person could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.Advertisement

Photos posted on the helicopter company’s website showed the couple and their children smiling as they boarded just before the flight took off.First responders walk along Pier 40, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York, across from where a helicopter went down in the Hudson River. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz)via Associated PressMayor Eric Adams said the flight began at a downtown heliport around 3 p.m. and the bodies — had been recovered and removed from the water. The flight north along the Manhattan skyline and then back south toward the Statue of Liberty lasted less than 18 minutes.Advertisement

Video of the crash showed parts of the aircraft tumbling through the air into the water near the shoreline of Jersey City, New Jersey. A witness there, Bruce Wall, said he saw it “falling apart” in midair, with the tail and propeller coming off. The propeller was still spinning without the helicopter as it fell.Dani Horbiak was at her Jersey City home when she heard what sounded like “several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air.” She looked out her window and saw the chopper “splash in several pieces into the river.”The helicopter was spinning uncontrollably with “a bunch of smoke coming out” before it slammed into the water, said Lesly Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey.Advertisement

Rescue boats circled the submerged aircraft within minutes of impact near the end of a long maintenance pier for a ventilation tower serving the Holland Tunnel. Recovery crews hoisted the mangled helicopter out of the water just after 8 p.m. using a floating crane.The flight was operated by New York Helicopters, officials said. No one answered the phones at the company’s offices in New York and New Jersey.A person who answered the phone at the home of the company’s owner, Michael Roth, declined to comment. Roth told the New York Post he was devastated and had “no clue” why the crash happened.Advertisement

“The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,” the Post quoted him as saying. He added that he had not seen such a thing happen during his 30 years in the helicopter business, but noted: “These are machines, and they break.”Emails seeking comment were sent to attorneys who have represented Roth in the past.The Federal Aviation Administration identified the helicopter as a Bell 206, a model widely used in commercial and government aviation, including by sightseeing companies, TV news stations and police. It was initially developed for the U.S. Army before being adapted for other uses. Thousands have been manufactured over the years.The National Transportation Safety Board said it would investigate.Escobar worked for the tech company Siemens for more than 27 years, most recently as global CEO for rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, according to his LinkedIn account. In late 2022 he briefly became president and CEO of Siemens Spain. In a post about the position, he thanked his family: “my endless source of energy and happiness, for their unconditional support, love … and patience.”Advertisement

Escobar regularly posted about the importance of sustainability in the rail industry and often traveled internationally for work, including journeying from India to the UK in the past month. He also was vice president of the German Chamber of Commerce for Spain since 2023.Camprubi Montal worked in Barcelona, Spain, for energy technology company Siemens Energy for about seven years as its global commercialization manager, according to her LinkedIn account.Video of the crash suggested that a “catastrophic mechanical failure” left the pilot with no chance to save the helicopter, said Justin Green, an aviation lawyer who was a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps.Advertisement

It is possible the helicopter’s main rotors struck the tail boom, breaking it apart and causing the cabin to free fall, Green said.“They were dead as soon as whatever happened happened,” Green said. “There’s no indication they had any control over the craft. No pilot could have prevented that accident once they lost the lifts. It’s like a rock falling to the ground. It’s heartbreaking.”The skies over Manhattan are routinely filled with planes and helicopters, both private recreational aircraft and commercial and tourist flights. Manhattan has several helipads from which business executives and others are whisked to destinations throughout the metropolitan area.Advertisement

At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977. A collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson in 2009 killed nine people, and five died in 2018 when a charter helicopter offering “open door” flights went down into the East River.New York Helicopters also owned a Bell 206 that lost power and made an emergency landing on the Hudson during a sightseeing tour in June 2013. The pilot managed to land safely, and he and the passengers — a family of four Swedes — were uninjured. The National Transportation Safety Board found that a maintenance flub and an engine lubrication anomaly led to the power cutoff.Thursday’s crash was the first for a helicopter in the city since one hit the roof of a skyscraper in 2019, killing the pilot.Advertisement

The accidents — and the noise caused by helicopters — have repeatedly led some community activists and officials to propose banning or restricting traffic at Manhattan heliports.Other recent crashes and close calls have already left some people worried about the safety of flying in the U.S.We Don’t Work For Billionaires. We Work For You.Big money interests are running the government — and influencing the news you read. While other outlets are retreating behind paywalls and bending the knee to political pressure, HuffPost is proud to be unbought and unfiltered. Will you help us keep it that way? You can even access our stories ad-free.You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We won’t back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can’t do it without you.For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you’ll join us.You’ve supported HuffPost before, and we’ll be honest — we could use your help again. We won’t back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can’t do it without you.For the first time, we’re offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you’ll join us.Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.Seven people were killed when a medical transport plane plummeted into a Philadelphia neighborhood in January. That happened two days after an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter collided in midair in Washington in the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation.Advertisement