Empire State Review Team 
NEW YORK CITY – On Thursday afternoon, a tragic incident unfolded when a helicopter carrying a family of five from Spain crashed into the Hudson River, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals on board, including the pilot. The victims included three children and two adults.
***UPDATE: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has begun providing updates on the helicopter crash. Details can be found in the live feed above or on FOX Local.
Eyewitness accounts detail a catastrophic scenario, with numerous witnesses reporting that the helicopter appeared to break apart mid-flight. Observers described the tail and rotor detaching as the helicopter spiraled downwards, with one witness stating, “The propeller just exploded and scattered,” before acknowledging the terrifying descent of the aircraft.
Victims of the Crash
Authorities have identified two of the victims: Agustin Escobar, a long-time Siemens executive, and his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, who held a position as a global manager at Siemens Energy. The couple was visiting New York City with their three children, whose ages were reported by NYC Mayor Eric Adams as 4, 8, and 10. The mayor revealed that the eight-year-old’s birthday was tragically the day following the crash.
Siemens shared its sorrow in a statement, expressing, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.” The identity of the pilot has yet to be revealed.
Incident Details
The helicopter, a Bell 206 operated by New York Helicopters, departed from a Lower Manhattan heliport at approximately 2:59 p.m. It was seen flying along the Manhattan coastline but lost control near Pier A Park in Hoboken just minutes later, at 3:08 p.m.
Bruce Wall, another witness, recounted watching the helicopter “fall apart” midair, highlighting that the propeller continued to spin after detaching from the aircraft. Experts believe that if the rotor assembly separated from the helicopter, it would have led to an unrecoverable situation, with one analyst postulating that the loss of the rotor blades could have caused the tail boom to detach as well.
Previous Helicopter Incidents
The investigation into this incident is ongoing, but initial findings are based on eyewitness videos and accounts. This tragic event is not isolated; New York Helicopter Charter has faced scrutiny in the past due to previous incidents. In 2015, one of its helicopters crashed shortly after takeoff, and another helicopter had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River in 2016 after losing power.
Michael Roth, the CEO of NY Helicopter Tours, expressed his devastation over the incident, stating, “I’m a father and a grandfather and to have children on there, I’m devastated. I’m absolutely devastated. And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years in the helicopter business.”
Historical Context
The skies over New York City, particularly over Manhattan, have seen several helicopter crashes over the years, raising ongoing concerns about aviation safety. High-profile cases include the 2009 collision of a tourist helicopter and a plane, which resulted in nine deaths, and a 2018 crash where a helicopter overturned in the East River, claiming five lives.
This latest incident is a heartbreaking reminder of the potential dangers associated with helicopter flights in densely populated areas, underscoring the need for stringent safety regulations and oversight to protect passengers.
