Intense search efforts are underway for a passenger believed to be somewhere in the East River after a helicopter crashed there this afternoon.

The helicopter crashed hard into the East River near the 34th street heliport with five people aboard, and quickly became submerged, ABC News reports.

UPDATE: The helicopter was a private aircraft that missed its landing and crashed at 3:22 p.m. It is believed that a heavy gust of wind may have contributed to the crash.

Four of the five victims have been removed from the water, according to an ABC News report.

Two of the passengers appeared to be civilians.  Fox News published footage of one passenger receiving CPR at the scene.

At the time of this report, the helicopter was still underwater. It is possible that the missing victim is still inside the helicopter.

The water temperature of the East River is about 67 degrees; which is cold but likely not cold enough to cause hypothermia in the crash victims who were removed from the scene.

The identities and conditions of any of the five victims has not yet been released, though two of the rescued victims are reported to be pilots.

Live video of the crash site can be viewed by clicking on this link.

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