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The pilot of the sightseeing helicopter, carrying a family of five, reported a frightening problem shortly before the helicopter crashed.
He issued an urgent request just before the aircraft broke apart in midair and tumbled upside down into the cold Hudson River waters near New York City, resulting in the tragic death of all six people aboard.
On Thursday at around 3:17 pm, witnesses were jolted by a loud bang and then watched in horror as the small helicopter plunged into the river.
Onboard were Spanish tourists, including Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, who was a global manager at an energy technology firm, along with their three children, aged four to 11.
It comes as…
The family was taking a well-traveled route up and down the western side of Manhattan to take a look at the Statue of Liberty and the iconic New York skyline when the tragedy unfolded.
Though the cause of the crash is still under investigation, Michael Roth, the owner of the helicopter, has given another clue about what happened before the wreck.
“He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph.
The 71-year-old CEO said he has been left devastated by the news and that his wife hasn’t stopped crying.
“Every employee in our company is devastated,” he said.
“The death of a child, of any human being, is a monumental disaster.”
More radio correspondence captured the moment that first responders in New York City caught wind of the crash.
On air traffic control radio heard by the Associated Press, a New York Police Department pilot said, “Be advised, you do have an aircraft down.
“Holland Tunnel. Please keep your eyes open for anybody in the water.”
Five minutes after sending this message, another person said, “Hey Finest,” which is a reference to the NYPD’s call sign, “What’s going on over there by the Holland Tunnel?”
“The ship went down,” another person said in a grim reply.
VICTIMS MOURNED
The death of the Spanish family has left world leaders heartbroken, with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez describing the tragedy as “devastating.”
“The news reaching us today of the helicopter crash in the Hudson River is devastating,” Sánchez said in a post on X early Friday.
“Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives. An unimaginable tragedy. I share in the grief of the victims’ loved ones at this heartbreaking time.”
President Donald Trump also shared his condolences after the crash and vowed to give the public answers.
What we know about the Hudson River helicopter crash
A devastating helicopter crash in New York City has claimed the lives of a family of five from Spain, turning what should have been a dream vacation into an unthinkable tragedy.
Here’s what we know about what happened on April 10, 2025:
Who were the victims?
• Agustin Escobar, Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, was on board with his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children.
• The family had just arrived in New York from Barcelona earlier that day.
• Merce worked as a global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona.
• The children were all of middle school age or younger.
• The pilot of the chopper, whose identity has not yet been released, was also killed.
What happened?
• The sightseeing helicopter, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, crashed into the Hudson River around 3:15 pm on Thursday.
• Witnesses say the chopper broke apart midair before plunging into the river.
• Four victims died at the scene, while two more were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Haunting final moments:
• Heartbreaking photos on the New York Helicopter Tours website show the family smiling in front of the chopper and strapped in for takeoff just moments before the crash.
Investigation underway:
• Authorities are still working to determine what caused the helicopter to break apart in midair.
“God bless the families and friends of the victims. Secretary of Transporation, Sean Duffy, and his talented staff are on it,” he said on Truth Social.
Rescue crews raced to the wreckage within minutes of the crash, but four of the passengers were already dead by the time they arrived, officials said.
The other two died quickly after being found.
All of the bodies have been recovered, and the helicopter pieces were lifted from the waters by crane on Thursday evening, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
‘GUNSHOTS IN THE AIR’
Shaken witnesses have described the heartpounding moment they heard a terrible noise and watched the tragedy unfold.
Dani Horbiak said she was at her home in Jersey City when a noise that sounded like “several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air” rang out, according to the Associated Press.
When she looked outside her window, she saw the helicopter “splash in several pieces into the river.”
Another witness, Sara Jean Raymond, said she was out training for a half marathon when she saw the crash.
“I was in shock. I tried to call 911, I could not reach anyone,” she told WABC.
“They were very fast, though. They were very fast to come here.
“I don’t know what happened, if the people survived or anything, but oh my God, you don’t see that very often.”
