NTSB photos show NYC tour helicopter 'suddenly' broke apart midair before fatal crash into Hudson River

Witness photos released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Wednesday show the tour helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on April 10, breaking apart midair before plunging into the water, killing six people.

Though the cause of the crash remains unknown, a preliminary report from the NTSB notes several witnesses heard multiple "loud bangs" coming from the Bell 206L-4 aircraft before it "suddenly" broke into three major sections midair and dropped into the river.