The tragic accident occurred in the United States, near New Jersey, when a tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing all five passengers and the pilot. The victims included Agustín Escobar, the director of Siemens’ Spanish subsidiary, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three young children, aged 4, 5 and 11. The pilot, a 36-year-old man from New York, also died.
The family arrived in New York from Barcelona that same day. Touching photos posted on the New York Helicopter Tours website show the smiling family standing in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV just before takeoff. A few minutes later, they were photographed in the cabin, buckled up and full of emotion, unaware that this was their last journey together.
The flight lasted just 16 minutes. The plane took off from the helipad on Wall Street and flew over the Statue of Liberty before the tragedy occurred. Eyewitnesses reported hearing several loud sounds, similar to gunfire, and seeing parts of the helicopter break off in the air and fall into the river.
Rescue crews quickly arrived at the crash site and began recovering the wreckage. Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Charter, expressed his deepest sorrow and said he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.
What was supposed to be a joyful family outing turned into an unimaginable nightmare, a loss that has left two continents in mourning.
Michael Roth revealed moving details of the final moments before the crash: “The pilot called and said he had to land because he was low on fuel. He was supposed to return to base in about three minutes, but 20 minutes later he still hadn’t arrived.”
Regarding the possible causes, Roth commented: “The only thing I can tell you from analyzing the crash footage is that the main rotor blades were missing. In 30 years of working in the helicopter industry, I have never seen anything like this. I have no idea what could have happened. I can only speculate: maybe a rotor failure or a bird strike.
New York Police Department Chief Jessica Tisch confirmed that four of the victims died at the scene, while the other two died later in the hospital. “Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. All six people were rescued from the water and, tragically, there were no survivors,” he said.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said the investigation will be conducted by the city police until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) arrives. Helicopter flights are common in Manhattan, especially among businessmen and tourists, due to the city’s large number of helipads.
The tragic accident is the latest in a series of grim events: Since 1977, at least 32 people have died in helicopter crashes in New York City. The last major accident occurred in 2018, when a helicopter crashed into the East River, killing five passengers.
As the investigation continues, the city mourns another tragic airborne loss.