Spanish family of five and pilot die after tourist chopper crashes into Hudson River near Manhattan
In the Hudson River crash near Lower Manhattan on Thursday afternoon, a sightseeing helicopter carrying a Spanish family and their pilot plunged into the water, killing all six on board, including three young children.
The aircraft, operated by New York Helicopters, had taken off from the Wall Street Heliport at around 3:00 p.m. and was in the air for just over 15 minutes when it crashed. Officials confirmed the Bell 206 helicopter turned south near the George Washington Bridge before spiralling down and hitting the water off River Drive in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The victims were identified as Agustin Escobar, an executive with European industrial giant Siemens, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children aged 4, 5, and 11, according to law enforcement sources. The pilot, a 36-year-old American, was also killed.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed condolences during a press briefing: “Our hearts go out to the family and those on board. This is a tragic day for our city.”
Eyewitness accounts paint a horrifying picture. Dani Horbiak, who watched the incident from her apartment window, said she heard “five or six loud noises like gunshots” before seeing the helicopter lose parts mid-air and plummet. Another witness, Eric Campoverde, described watching the helicopter descend at a 45-degree angle before it slammed into the river with a “big splash.”
Emergency responders rushed to the scene at Pier 40 and nearby riverfront locations. Jersey City Medical Center treated the victims but confirmed no survivors. Mayor Steven Fulop said hospital staff “tried as hard as they could.”
Video footage of the crash shows the chopper entering the water inverted, with both its tail rotor and main rotor blade missing. Witnesses reported seeing the rotor break into pieces mid-air, while some described a sonic boom-like noise moments before the impact.
The helicopter was reportedly on its sixth tour of the day when the accident occurred. At the time of the crash, weather conditions were clear but cold, with the water temperature around 50°F (10°C). When rescue teams arrived, the wreckage was found upside-down in the river, closer to the New Jersey shore.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the aircraft type and said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a full investigation. Jersey City police are leading the local inquiry, as the crash site falls within their jurisdiction.
Jersey City Mayor Fulop noted longstanding concerns over the volume of air traffic in the Hudson River corridor. “We’ve raised red flags before,” he said. “This tragedy should force a re-examination of safety protocols for helicopters flying in and out of Manhattan.”
The Spanish government also acknowledged the incident. Two officials told ABC News that the family had travelled from Barcelona for a holiday in the United States. Siemens has yet to issue a formal statement.
President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform calling the incident “terrible” and described the crash footage as “horrendous.”
The crash has shaken both New York residents and tourists alike. Helicopter tours over Manhattan, while popular, have long been the subject of safety debates. This tragedy, with children among the victims, is expected to reignite calls for stricter oversight and airspace regulation around the city.
As the NTSB combs through the wreckage and flight data, the focus now shifts to understanding what caused a routine sightseeing flight to become one of the deadliest helicopter crashes in recent New York history.
