All 13 on board the Italian-made AgustaWestland AW139 suffered only light injuries and were released from the hospital later Saturday, the Hong Kong government said in a statement.
The pilots executed an emergency landing after noticing a mechanical problem that created a loud noise minutes into the journey, Leung Yu-keung, acting head of the Civil Aviation Department, told reporters. They were able to avoid a plunge into the harbor because the pilots deployed inflatable buoys before the aircraft hit the water, Leung said.
Hong Kong's Cable TV quoted an unidentified witness as saying the helicopter fell onto the harbor at a trajectory.
The Civil Aviation Department ordered operator Sky Shuttle to ground all of its AW139 helicopters for inspections and suspend its services to Macau.
The helicopter rides are a pricey alternative to the commonly used high-speed ferry service to Macau, with each one-way flight costing 2,600 Hong Kong dollars ($330) per person.
