A tourist helicopter carrying a family of five from Spain and an American pilot plunged into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon. The crash resulted in the tragic deaths of all six people on board. Occurring just after 3:15 PM local time near Lower Manhattan, the accident has sent shockwaves through New York City and Spain as details continue to emerge about what caused the Bell 206 helicopter to suddenly fall from the sky.
The Helicopter Crash Victims And What Happened
Among those killed were Agustin Escobar, an executive from European automation company Siemens, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, aged 4, 5, and 11. The 36-year-old pilot also perished in the crash. According to Spanish officials, who confirmed their identities, the family had been visiting from Barcelona, Spain.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his grief on social media, calling the news “devastating” and describing it as “an unimaginable tragedy” for the country.
The helicopter departed from the Wall Street Heliport at approximately 3:00 PM. Just over 15 minutes into its journey, after reaching the George Washington Bridge and turning south, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic failure. Video footage of the incident shows the helicopter plunging into the river without its tail rotor or main rotor blade.
Multiple witnesses reported hearing loud noises moments before the crash. Dani Horbiak told ABC News she heard “five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and saw pieces fall off, then watched it fall into the river.” Another witness described the sound to New York ABC station WABC as “a sonic boom” and observed the “helicopter splitting in two with the rotor flying off.”
Rescue Efforts
The helicopter crashed at 3:17 PM off the coast of River Drive in Hoboken, New Jersey. When rescuers arrived at the scene, they found the aircraft upside-down in the 50-degree water. Despite the quick response from emergency services, all six occupants were pronounced dead after being transported to Jersey City Medical Center.
“Our hearts go out to the family and those on board,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a press briefing following the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. The Jersey City Police Department is taking the lead on the investigation since the helicopter crashed on the Jersey City side of the river. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop noted that the city has previously expressed concerns about air traffic over the Hudson River. He hopes this tragic incident will bring more attention to their ongoing safety concerns about helicopter tours in the area.
The aircraft, identified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a Bell 206 helicopter operated by New York Helicopters, was reportedly on its sixth flight of the day when the crash occurred.
