Tragic Helicopter Crash in Hudson River Claims Lives of Spanish Family and Pilot

In a devastating incident on Thursday afternoon, a tourist helicopter carrying a family of five from Spain and a pilot crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan, resulting in six fatalities, including three children.

According to officials, the helicopter—chartered through New York Helicopters—departed from the Wall Street Heliport at approximately 3:00 p.m. and went down just 17 minutes later off River Drive in Hoboken, New Jersey. The aircraft, a Bell 206 model, had been on its sixth flight of the day.

The victims were identified as Agustin Escobar, an executive with European automation firm Siemens, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children, aged 4, 5, and 11. The pilot, a 36-year-old male, also lost his life in the crash. Spanish officials confirmed the family was from Barcelona.

Eyewitnesses described the horror of the moment. Dani Horbiak, who witnessed the crash from her apartment, recounted hearing “five or six loud noises like gunshots” before seeing parts of the helicopter detach and the aircraft plummet into the river. Others on the scene reported a “sonic boom” and debris flying as the rotor detached mid-air.

Video footage captured the chopper descending rapidly without a main rotor or tail rotor and hitting the water inverted. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and located the wreckage submerged upside-down in the frigid, 50-degree waters.

Jersey City Medical Center made extensive efforts to save the victims but confirmed the fatalities soon after. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash, with Jersey City Police leading local efforts due to the crash location.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed condolences during a press briefing, stating, “Our hearts go out to the family and those on board.” President Donald Trump also reacted on his social media platform, calling the footage “horrendous” and the crash itself “terrible.”

This heartbreaking incident marks another tragic moment in Hudson River aviation history, raising renewed concerns about the safety of frequent tourist helicopter flights in and around New York City.