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Well, they've been searching the Hudson River for wreckage from last week's deadly helicopter crash
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All right, Richard G. Kovas introduces us to members of the NYPD's Harbor Unit Scuba Team
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They are one of the most highly trained scuba diving teams in the world
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And for nearly a week, members of the NYPD's Harbor Unit Scuba Team
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have been going deep into the frigid, murky waters of the Hudson to locate pieces of the missing chopper that broke apart midair last week
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killing six people. A family of five visiting from Spain along with the helicopter's pilot
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We're trying to get there as quick as possible once we hear it come over to the radio. It took them just four days, a total of 29 dives with zero visibility, to locate the Bell 206 L4
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helicopter's main rotor system, transmission, roof beam, and tail rotor. Investigators have said that
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every piece of that chopper serves as a key piece of evidence in finding out the cause of the deadly
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crash. The main rotor was around 45 feet. I believe the tail
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rotor was closer to 15 to 20 feet There was video footage showing parts of the aircraft breaking up over the river We were able to utilize some of that video footage to kind of use landmarks that were in the background to ballpark where we want to start our search efforts
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The dive team says navigating these waters in the Hudson is no easy feat
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In fact, there are a lot of hazards like construction materials and fuel spills from boats nearby polluting the waters
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It requires those divers to put on a dry suit and a full face mask to protect their skin
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And once they reach the bottom of the water, they can't see down there
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So they have to feel their way through. Basically, you're diving in mud
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You can't see anything. You can't see your hand in front of your face. But this advanced crew also navigates these waters with a bunch of high-tech equipment
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including their very own underwater robot. We have multiple lights, camera, and an arm here that we can use to either grab
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or make contact with certain items. And even though this surgeon recovery is complete, the training never stops
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A team of 30, always at the ready until the next call comes in
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We're very prepared for anything that comes over us. On the west side, Richard Giacobis, Fox 5 News
