Pilot Killed After Vintage WWII Plane Crashes in Hudson River

A man was killed after a WWII vintage plane crashed in the Hudson River Friday evening.

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Complex Original

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A small plane crashed into the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey Friday evening, according to multiple reports and video footage. The pilot who was operating the plane reportedly died during the crash.

A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told the New York Daily News in a statement: "The FAA received a report that a World War II vintage P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft may have gone down in the Hudson River, two miles south of the George Washington Bridge."

That coincides with the New York Daily News' report that the P-47 Thunderbolt crashed closer to the New Jersey side of the Hudson River south of the Edgewater Marina in Edgewater, New Jersey (which is south of the George Washington Bridge) at approximately 7:30 p.m. 

New Jersey State Police confirmed the crash:

Plane downed near 79th St. Pier. 1 survivor in water. NJSP Heli & boats on scene. 2 NJSP Divers in water searching for poss add'tl survivors

NJSP later backtracked saying the person in the water was not a confirmed survivor of the crash. 

Swimmer in water NOT confirmed survivor of crash. Troops on scene continue 2 investigate. No info on # of occupants, victims or survivors

The New York Daily Newsreported the pilot's body had been found about three hours after the crash according to police sources. Sources told the New York Daily News that the person rescued may have been someone trying to help in the rescue.

A tweet from the NYPD Special Ops account confirmed a body was recovered from the plane crash:

UPDATE: A body has just been recovered from the plane crash in the Hudson by the #Harbor Unit #SCUBA Team pic.twitter.com/hkE4605dpd

The Associated Pressreports firefighters as saying the plane had engine trouble before crashing and that the plane was a part of Fleet Week activities. The latter was confirmed by American Airpower Museum spokesperson Gary Lewi who told NBC4 that the plane was going to be a part of an air show this weekend.

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