Family Of NYC Helicopter Crash Victim Sues Aviation Company After Tragedy
March 14 2018, Updated 11:29 a.m. ET
The family of one of the five victims of the NYC helicopter tragedy is suing the aviation company for allegedly "not providing knives to cut the harnesses with as they drowned," and because the pilot did not maintain "proper control," of the jet.
RadarOnline.com has learned that the family of Trevor Cadigan — who drowned to death inside the helicopter — has blamed the company for the passing of the 26-year-old, saying in their lawsuit that the passengers should have been given tools to escape their safety harnesses in case of an emergency.
After the aviation company stated that the East River crash had likely been caused by one of the passengers' backpacks hitting the helicopter's emergency break. The Cadigan family added in their suit that the pilot allegedly "failed to properly perform emergency procedures" and did not "properly secure personal items within the helicopter."
Cadigan drowned in the NYC river after the jet hit the water, and he was unable to free himself from his harness. His friend Daniel Thompson, 34, also died, as did passengers Tristan Hill, 29, Brian McDaniel, 26, and Carla Vallejos Blanco, 29.
Hill's family also complained to the aviation company after they allegedly refused to let them see the deceased man's body following his death. "My parents fought over a long period of time before they would allow us to view the body. We told them we're not settling for a photo," Brendan Hill told reporters.
The Fly Liberty Charter helicopter pilot, Richard Vance, 33, managed to escape as soon as the jet collapsed. When he was rescued, paramedics transported three of the passenger to the hospital, while the two others were pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials claimed the crash was caused by a fuel issue with the helicopter, thought the New York City Fire Department confirmed that it was the jet's safety harnesses which caused the passengers' deaths.
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