New York - The United States agency responsible for air traffic has suspended a supervisor and the controller who handled the small plane that collided with a tourist helicopter, killing nine people including five Italians, news reports said Friday.

A week after the mid-air accident over the Hudson River, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took the decision against the two people at the small Teterboro airport in New Jersey responsible for light aircraft.

The reports said the controller had turned over the monitoring of the small single-engine plane to another airport. The FAA said the controller was involved in what it called "inappropriate phone conversations" while the supervisor was not present while the collision occurred.

"While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident, this kind of conduct is unacceptable and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings," said the FAA, which is joining the US National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the accident.

The reports said the wreckage of the plane and helicopter were moved to Delaware for further study of the collision while the FAA was considering to strengthen safety requirements for low-flying craft over the Hudson River, which is on Manhattan's West side.

The nine people killed included six on the sightseeing helicopter and three on the plane. The bodies of the five Italians were flown back to their country this week following a prayer service in New York City.(dpa)