A tourist helicopter carrying an entire family from Spain tragically split in half mid/air and crashed into the Hudson River in New York. In total, six people died as a result of the crash, including parents Agustin Escobar and Merce Camprubi and their three children, ages 4, 5, and 11.
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According to the New York Post, the helicopter, a Bell 206 aircraft, plunged into the Hudson River near Pier 40 in Manhattan around 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 10. Horrifying footage shows the helicopter falling into the river, apparently missing its rotors.
While a multitude of first responders rushed to the scene in an attempt to save the helicopter's occupants, it was revealed shortly after that none of them survived. Agustin Escobar, a Siemens Mobility executive, and his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, a Siemens Energy manager, were killed alongside their three children. The sixth fatal victim is the yet-unidentified pilot.
According to El Diario, Escobar and his family had just arrived in New York City from Spain. They were celebrating the birthday of one of their children. As one of their first activities, they planned to have a tour of Manhattan. They decided to take a scenic trip to the Statue of Liberty.
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Moments after taking off, the pilot informed the base that they were low on fuel. Michael Roth, New York Helicopter Tours CEO, the company that owned the helicopter, confirmed this to the Telegraph. Moreover, according to Roth, despite the expected three-minute arrival to refuel, the helicopter failed to show up after 20 minutes. Heartbreaking photos showing the family smiling in front of the Bell 206 helicopter have surfaced since the incident took place.
"I'm absolutely devastated," Roth told the Post. "The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren't on the helicopter. And I haven't seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams addressed the incident, confirming the six deaths in the Hudson River. "The loved ones of all the victims are in our city's thoughts and prayers tonight," Adams wrote on X.
President Donald Trump addressed the fatal crash in Truth Social, calling it a "terrible crash." "The video of the accident is horrific. God bless the families and friends of the victims," Trump added.
The incident is currently under investigation.
