Nine believed dead in New York air collision

A small plane collides with a tour helicopter carrying Italian tourists over the Hudson River in New York.

NEW YORK // A small plane has collided with a tour helicopter carrying Italian tourists over the Hudson River and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says it's believed that all nine people are dead. Bloomberg said the crash victims include five Italian tourists and a pilot on the helicopter and three people on the plane, including a child. Bloomberg added that officials believe the no one could have survived the accident.

Two bodies have been recovered from the river. Other bodies have been spotted in the debris. The mayor said that "it's fair to say that this has changed from a rescue to a recovery mission." The accident happened in a busy general aviation corridor in which pilots operate freely at a low altitude and keep an eye out for other aircraft by sight. *AP