Six Dead After Sightseeing Helicopter Crashes Into Hudson River
A sightseeing helicopter carrying a Spanish family of five and the pilot crashed into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon, killing all six on board. The Bell 206 chopper, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, took off around 3 p.m. from Manhattan, looped the Statue of Liberty, then flew up the Hudson River before turning south. About 15 minutes into the flight, it spiraled out of control near Hoboken, flipped upside down, and plunged into the water.
Witnesses described a terrifying scene: the aircraft nose-diving, its rotor blades detaching mid-air, and debris raining into the river. “The helicopter was a little bit like nose down, slightly, and I saw the propeller separating,” one witness told WCBS, while another added, “There was a bunch of smoke coming out. It was spinning pretty fast, and it landed in the water really hard.” Emergency responders recovered the submerged victims, with four pronounced dead at the scene and the remaining two dying at area hospitals.
Among the victims were Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children. Mayor Eric Adams called it a heartbreaking loss, and Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez offered condolences, calling it “an unimaginable tragedy.” The cause of the crash is under investigation by both the FAA and NTSB. The helicopter’s maintenance history is now under scrutiny, especially after prior safety concerns linked to the company’s aircraft.
