The family onboard a helicopter that plummeted into the Hudson River had only arrived in New York City on the same day they were killed.
Agustín Escobar, the president of Siemens’ Spanish branch, had just arrived in the city with his family on Thursday when the fatal crash occurred.
Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children aged four, five, and 11 were among those killed in the tragedy, along with the 36-year-old pilot.
According to law enforcement sources speaking to the New York Post, the family had traveled from Barcelona and landed on the day of the crash before boarding the sightseeing helicopter.
The chopper was seen crashing into the murky waters of the Hudson River, closer to the New Jersey side, at around 3.15pm.
Witnesses say they saw the chopper ‘split in half’ before it went down near Pier 40.
One man described the sound from the aircraft like a ‘sonic boom.’
Heartbreaking photos showed the family grinning from ear to ear as they prepared to board the chopper and tour the city skies.
Agustín Escobar, the president of the Spanish branch of Siemens, and his family had only arrived in the city earlier in the day on Thursday before the fatal crash that very afternoon. The family were pictured in front of the chopper before the crash
Escobar and his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children – aged 4, 5, and 11 years old – were all killed in the tragic crash alongside the pilot, aged 36
The chopper was seen crashing into the murky waters of the Hudson River, closer to the New Jersey side, at around 3.15pm
The young children sat on board the chopper, one with a thumbs up like his dad who was sat opposite him, while Escobar’s wife laughed next to their youngest child.
Another of their children was seen strapped in front of the helicopter next to the pilot, smiling in another picture.
The helicopter was only in the air for 16 minutes after it took off from the Wall Street Heliport and circled near the Statue of Liberty before it plunged into the water.
Dani Horbiak told ABC News that she watched the chopper ‘fall out of the sky’ from her apartment.
‘I heard five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and saw pieces fall off, then watched it fall into the river,’ she said.
It remains unclear what caused the chopper to crash, as emergency crews are pictured pulling mangled pieces from the water late Thursday evening.
The owner of the tour company, CEO Michael Roth of New York Helicopter Charter, told the Post following the crash that he was ‘absolutely devastated.’
‘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,’ he said.
The young children sat on board the chopper, one with a thumbs up like his dad who was sat opposite him, while Escobar’s wife laughed next to their youngest child. Another of their children was seen strapped in front of the helicopter next to the pilot, smiling in another picture
The owner of the tour company, CEO Michael Roth of New York Helicopter Charter, told the Post following the crash that he was ‘absolutely devastated’
The helicopter was only in the air for 16 minutes after it took off from the Wall Street Heliport and circled near the Statue of Liberty before it plunged into the water
‘The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.’
Roth also told the Telegraph: ‘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.’
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others later passed away in hospital, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
While skies were clear at the time, footage showed the helicopter flying ‘erratically’ just before it fell into the water.
Flying on board were the tourist family of five as well as the pilot of the chopper.
‘Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard,’ Mayor Eric Adams said. ‘All six have been removed from the water, and sadly all six victims were pronounced dead.’
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said the Jersey City Police Department are taking the lead in the investigation until officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) arrive.
The skies are often filled with both planes and helicopters that both fly private recreational, commercial and tourist flights.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others later passed away in hospital, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch
It remains unclear what caused the chopper to crash, as emergency crews are pictured pulling mangled pieces from the water late Thursday evening
Manhattan has multiple helipads that are used by people, including business executives, to get across the Metropolitan area.
At least 32 have been killed in helicopter crashes in New York City since 1977.
The most recent crash happened in 2018 when a chopper hit crashed into the East River, leaving five passengers dead.
The chopper crashed on March 11, 2018, when the tail of the aircraft got caught on the fuel shutoff lever, the NTSB said.
All the passengers on board drowned. They were identified as Daniel Thompson, 34, Tristian Hill, 29, Trevor Cadigan, 26, Brian McDaniel, 26, and Carla Vallejos-Blanco, 29.
