New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on helicopter crash

A woman has died and two others are seriously injured after a helicopter plunged into a river in New York City shortly after take-off.

Witnesses described how the privately owned Bell 206 aircraft spun out of control before it fell into East River near 34th Street in midtown Manhattan.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has told reporters it is thought the helicopter was upside down when it crashed.

In what he described as ''a sad day'', Mr Bloomberg also paid tribute to the efforts of the emergency services.