A devastating helicopter crash in the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, April 10, has claimed the lives of six individuals, including a family from Spain. The crash occurred shortly after the helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, took off for a sightseeing tour. Authorities have identified the pilot as 36-year-old Sean Johnson.
The victims of this tragic accident were Agustín Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children—Agustín Jr., 10, Mercè, 8, and Víctor, 4. The family had traveled from Barcelona to New York City to celebrate the birthday of their daughter, who would have turned 9 on the day of the crash. The family’s planned trip to see the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline turned into an unimaginable tragedy.
Escobar, the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, and Montal, the Global Commercialization Manager at Siemens Energy, were both highly successful professionals. Montal was also the granddaughter of Agustí Montal Costa, the former president of the FC Barcelona soccer club. Known for their love of international travel and strong careers, the couple’s lives, along with the lives of their young children, were tragically cut short.
The Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter, which had been airborne for just 16 minutes, was forced to make an emergency return to base after the pilot, Sean Johnson, reported a fuel shortage. Moments later, the helicopter suffered a catastrophic failure, breaking apart mid-flight over the Hudson River near Pier 40 and West Houston Street. Video footage captured the helicopter’s descent, with witnesses reporting hearing a loud “boom” before the aircraft’s rotors detached and it crashed into the water.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others, initially in critical condition, later died in the hospital. Dive teams and emergency responders continued recovery operations into Friday, and the wreckage was lifted from the river late Thursday. Officials are now focusing on determining the cause of the crash, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) leading the investigation.
Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, expressed his grief, calling the loss of an entire family, especially young children, beyond words. While the exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, Roth suggested that the helicopter’s rotor blades were missing during its descent, which could indicate a mechanical failure or a bird strike.
The tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the risks involved in aerial tourism and has left the local community and the aviation industry grappling with the immense loss. Authorities are committed to a full investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash, and the public is awaiting further details as the investigation progresses.