Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Apr 11: A Spanish couple and their three children were among six people killed in a devastating helicopter crash over the Hudson River on Thursday, US authorities confirmed. The victims included Agustín Escobar and Merce Camprubi Montal, a married couple from Spain, and their three children. The pilot also perished in the crash.
City officials said the helicopter, operated as part of a tourist flight over Manhattan, appeared to suffer a catastrophic midair failure before crashing upside down into the river shortly after 3 p.m. The aircraft had taken off from the Wall Street heliport at 2:59 pm and was heading along the New Jersey shoreline after making a turn at the George Washington Bridge when it went down.
Eyewitness accounts and video footage posted on social media showed the helicopter breaking apart as it descended. “It sounded like something was just like breaking,” said Bruce Wall, who recorded the incident. “At that point I’m pretty sure the helicopter hit the water and the blades were just starting to come down.”
Escobar, a prominent figure in the global rail technology sector, was the CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. He had previously served as CEO and President of Siemens Spain.
Christoph Erhard, head of corporate media relations at Siemens, expressed the company’s grief, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, reacting to the tragedy in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), called it “an unimaginable tragedy.” The Spanish Embassy in Washington shared his message, expressing support for the bereaved family.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop revealed that the family had been visiting New York to celebrate Merce Camprubi Montal’s 40th birthday. Escobar had initially traveled to the US on a business trip, and his family joined him for a brief holiday. “The kids were all 11 years old and younger,” Fulop wrote on X.
He added that the family’s brother-in-law was expected to arrive Friday morning and that city officials were coordinating with the medical examiner to expedite the return of the bodies to Spain.
Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, said the pilot had radioed in a fuel stop request before the crash but never arrived. “It should have taken him about three minutes... 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph. “We’re all devastated.”
President Donald Trump responded to the tragedy on Truth Social, calling it a “terrible” event and extending his prayers: “God bless the families and friends of the victims.”
NBC aviation analyst Jeff Guzzetti said preliminary signs indicate a sudden in-flight failure. “The pilot didn’t have an opportunity to make a forced landing or a mayday call, so something happened abruptly,” he said. He suggested the crash could potentially be linked to mechanical failure such as mast bumping or even a bird strike, though investigations are ongoing.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a full investigation into the crash. Officials will examine the chopper’s wreckage, the pilot’s records, environmental conditions, and any video footage taken on board to determine what caused the fatal incident.
The tragedy has left both American and Spanish communities mourning the loss of a family whose sightseeing trip ended in catastrophe, underscoring the need for continued scrutiny of flight safety protocols in tourist aviation.