The first video of the moment of the collision between a helicopter and a small aircraft in New York City that killed nine people has emerged online on NBC.

The video was recorded by an Italian tourist from a boat who was traveling with the people aboard the helicopter, NBC said. The footage shows how the airplane traveled on the same path as the helicopter and tries to lift its left wing to avoid hitting it but cannot and the two aircraft dive nose into the river.

The video could play a key role in the investigation of what went wrong in the accident. Specialists have said the event was avoidable .

Watch the video below:

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/video.

Three members of a Pennsylvania family who were on the plane died, five Italian tourits on the helicopter and its pilot also died. The remains of the five Italian tourists arrived in Bologna and their funeral was held Thursday, according to reports today.

The latest investigations on Friday revealed an air traffic controller was talking on the phone at the time of the collision and has been removed from duty by authorities, according to the Associated Press.

Pennsylvania Video NYC