A pleasure trip in a helicopter turned into a near tragedy when it lost power after a sudden explosion and crashed into the sea.

The helicopter which had a pilot and three passengers identified as Hunter Hupp, 28, and his two parents, made an emergency landing into the water of Davies Island, according to a statement by Tampa police in Florida.

The pilot said that they were heading back to Peter O. Knight Airport after completing the trip in the Robinson R44 helicopter in the late afternoon when they heard the bang.

As a result of losing power, the pilot had no alternative other than to ditch into the water near the Davis Islands Yacht Club.

All the people in the helicopter managed to jump into the water and there were later rescued by police marine units as well as civilian boaters.

One of those civilians was former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who helped rescue the people aboard the helicopter.

He is seen in the video footage riding on a jet ski that he used to help rescue the people in the helicopter.

The helicopter was eventually recovered 24 hours later and an investigation is ongoing into the cause of the power loss.