KIPS BAY — The family of the woman killed in a helicopter crash in the East River earlier this week released a statement Friday, offering thanks to the New Yorkers who have helped them during their time of need, the New York Post reported.
"We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the rescue teams who acted with great courage, and also to hospital staff at Bellevue Hospital Center and the NYPD, for their compassion, kindness and great care. We have felt protected and cared for in a way we will never forget,” said the father and sisters of Sonia Marra, who was visiting New York with her family to celebrate her 40th birthday.
"Sonia was loving her first experience of New York, the city and its people," the statement continued. "She was incredibly happy to be here, and it gives us some comfort to remember that. We are a strong family and will cope with our loss in our own way."
The crash occurred on the afternoon on Tuesday, Oct. 4, when pilot Paul Dudley, 56, reported problems immediately after takeoff.
The helicopter then plunged into the water, critically injuring Marra’s partner, Helen Tamaki, 43, and her mother, Harriet Nicholson, 60. The pilot and Marra’s father, Paul Nicholson, 72, were treated for minor injuries and released soon after the incident.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have been in New York since the crash occurred and will stay in the city throughout much of the weekend investigating the wreck.
On Thursday, NTSB Board Member Mark Rosekind said his team had come one step closer to ruling out engine failure as the cause of the accident. Although sources have said that weight may have played a role in the crash, investigators have yet to determine what exactly caused the aircraft’s fatal fall.
Rosekind said his team would release a preliminary report about the incident on Wednesday, Oct. 12.
