Helicopter makes plunge in East River

NEW YORK – A helicopter carrying the CEO of MBNA Corp. and other top executives plunged into the East River Friday, the second helicopter crash in four days in the waters off Manhattan. Rescuers pulled all eight people onboard out of the choppy water.

One of the pilots took salt water into his lungs and was in critical condition, authorities said. The other seven were released from the hospital Friday night, including MBNA chief executive, Bruce Hammonds.

The Sikorsky S-76 went down seconds after taking off from the 34th Street heliport near the United Nations. The chopper made it barely one block north before it suddenly tumbled tail-first into the water.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The helicopter sank afterward and was later pulled from the river using a 20-ton crane.

Three of the victims had been swept by the current more than a dozen blocks south before they were rescued, apparently by a private vessel.

MBNA identified the other people onboard as: Lance Weaver, chief administrative officer; Ric Struthers, a vice chairman; Douglas Denton, chief technology officer; Frank Bramble, senior adviser to Hammonds; Thomas Wren, treasurer; and pilots Blair Payton and Mark Schaberg.

Schaberg was the pilot in critical condition. He was talking when he came into the hospital but was put on a respirator after the level of oxygen in his blood began to drop, doctors said.

The helicopter was operated by MBNA and was believed headed for the company’s headquarters in Wilmington. The company is the world’s largest independent credit card lender.

At least one bystander jumped in the river to help rescue the passengers. Others on shore threw life preservers.

On Tuesday, another helicopter crashed into the East River shortly after takeoff for a sightseeing flight. Six tourists and the pilot were hospitalized.