CHELSEA, MASS. (WHDH) - A news helicopter made an emergency landing in a parking lot in Chelsea Tuesday because of mechanical issues, according to Chelsea authorities.
The helicopter, which is operated by the NBC news station, was in the air getting video around 3 p.m. when the pilot said he noticed a problem.
Chelsea Police Sergeant Jose Otero said he was driving out of the police station at the time and looked up.
“I saw it was steady one second and then it started to shimmer and shake. I was like, ‘oh no, that doesn’t look good,'” said Otero. “It was kind of teetering a bit and I observed what looked like a little bit of smoke coming out of the tail section of it and then I saw it go down.”
In the middle of a dense neighborhood, the pilot found a parking lot off Marginal Street and landed.
“He did say at one point he thought he would have to land on one of the streets further in the neighborhood here and then he saw this,” said Chelsea Fire Chief John Quatieri.
The pilot and the photographer who were inside the helicopter climbed out upon landing and were not hurt.
No one on the ground was impacted.
“The way it looked in the air, it didn’t look very stable for him. For him to come down the way hedid and land safely, I’m still amazed that he was able to do so,” said Otero.
Officials said the helicopter will be towed away and Massachusetts State police will be investigating.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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