The witnesses to a fatal helicopter crash in New York City’s Hudson River have recalled seeing the chopper break apart in mid-air before nosediving into the river in a “loud crash”.
All six people on board the helicopter died, including a Spanish family-of-five and the helicopter’s pilot. Siemens executive Agustin Escobar and his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal - also employed by Siemens and with close familial links to FC Barcelona - died alongside their three young children.
The cause of the disaster remains unclear, with witnesses recalling seeing the helicopter breaking apart in mid-air before plunging into the river. Experts believe a freak mechanical failure was behind the crash.
Bruce Wall, 28, described seeing the chopper “falling apart probably 15 feet before it actually fell and then the tail whipped off” and hearing the sound of “something breaking apart in mid-air,” according to the New York Times.
“The helicopter was still pretty loud and then just a loud, loud crash into water,” he added.
An unnamed woman said the “helicopter was a little bit nose down slightly, it kept spinning in the air” in quotes broadcast by BBC Radio 4.
President Donald Trump has offered his condolences and the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation.
Key Points
- Witnesses describe helicopter 'breaking apart in mid-air' before nosediving
- Pictured: Spanish couple who died alongside children in crash
- Who are the six victims of the crash, including a Spanish family?
- Mapped: Flight path of the helicopter before Thursday's fatal crash
- Crash was due to 'mechanical failure', says certified pilot
- Helicopter owner 'absolutely devastated' by tragedy
Pilot of helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River was a former Navy SEAL
18:33
,
Graig Graziosi
The wife of 36-year-old Sean Johnson said he was piloting the helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
Kathryn Johnson spoke to Gothamist about her husband, revealing that he was a former Navy SEAL who “always wanted to fly” and had taken up aviation following his military career.
“ I'm just at loss for words. I don't even know what happened,” Kathryn told the paper on Friday. “It’s just hard right now.”
What we know about victims of Hudson River helicopter crash in New York
17:45
,
Graig Graziosi
A family of five and the pilot have been identified as the six victims of a fatal helicopter crash in New York, after the aircraft plunged into the Hudson River.
The tourist helicopter broke apart midair on a trip around Manhattan before plummeting into the waters below on Thursday afternoon.
Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy, and their children Agustín, 10, Mercè, 8 and Víctor, 4, were all killed.
The helicopter pilot is yet to be named.
READ MORE:
CEO of company that owned the helicopter shocked by the crash, insists inspections were done
17:30
,
Graig Graziosi
The CEO of New York Helicopter, Michael Roth, spoke to CBS News about the Hudson River crash involving one of his aircraft.
Roth said investigators have thus far told him nothing about the crash.
“I don’t know anything how this went down,” he said.
Roth also said that he and his wife were “devastated” by the incident.
“My wife hasn’t stopped crying since this afternoon,” he told the broadcaster on Thursday. “We’re a small company. I’m a father and a grandfather, and we’re just devastated. We have no clue what happened.”
When reporters asked him about the inspection protocol at the company, Roth insisted that his company abides by and exceeds safety regulations.
"We follow all the rules and more,” Roth said.
The aftermath of the Hudson River helicopter crash in photos
17:04
,
Graig Graziosi
Helicopter plunged into water in 'several pieces', says witness
16:22
,
Alex Croft
Witnesses have recalled seeing the helicopter plunge in “several pieces” into the Hudson River.
Dani Horbiak was at her Jersey City home when she heard what sounded like "several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air”.
Looking out of the window, she saw the chopper "splash in several pieces into the river”.
Lesley Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey, recalled the helicopter spinning uncontrollable with “a bunch of smoke coming out” before slamming into the water.
‘Obviously mechanical failure’, says pilot of same helicopter model
16:05
,
Alex Croft
Dan Rice, who frequently flies in the same model of helicopter as the one which plummeted into the Hudson River, has said it was “obviously a catastrophic failure” which caused the crash.
Speaking to CBS News, he said: "Obviously, a catastrophic failure of the aircraft. That's very obvious. Booms and noises like that indicate some sort of mechanical issue.”
"There's one video in particular where you see the main component of the helicopter, the fuselage, upside down,” he added. “And what struck me, what scared me, is the main rotor system was gone.
“There's no main rotor on the helicopter. And the tail boom was also gone, and it's just a vessel at that point with no direction."
Rice said he “can’t imagine” what could have led to the tail rotor - the system which prevents the helicopter spinning out of control - from falling off.
“We'll wait for the investigation to give us those details, but from what I've seen, separation of the blades is what caused this chopper to go down. What led to the separation is what we have to find out," he added.
In pictures: The horror crash which has shocked New York City
15:51
,
Alex Croft
Lawmaker pushes ban on sightseeing helicopter tours after family dies in crash
15:35
,
Alex Croft
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal has called for a ban on sightseeing helicopter tours, saying we were “minutes” from disaster had the chopper crashed into the densely-populated ground.
Including the crash on Thursday, 25 people have died in New York City in helicopter sightseeing incidents - all of whom have been onboard the aircraft.
"We averted disaster possibly by just minutes. And that is the concern here. Which is if a helicopter gets in trouble in a densely populated area like Manhattan, the disaster could be far worse," Hoylman-Sigal said according to ABC 7 New York.
"There's no reason to allow tourists and tour flight operators to use our valuable precious airspace," he said, adding: "the danger is that FAA regulates airspace above 500 feet, so the city and state are prohibited from passing laws that make tourist choppers safer. “
The senator has been trying to limit helicopter traffic over the city to first responders, news and necessary transport.
Sightseeing tourist helicopter broke apart midair before plunging into Hudson River: Full timeline
15:20
,
Alex Croft
A sightseeing tourist helicopter has broken apart midair before plunging into the Hudson River, killing the family of five and pilot on board in the latest horror US aviation disaster.
At around 3.15pm on Thursday, the Bell 206 LongRanger plummeted from the sky and crashed upside-down in the river that divides New York City from New Jersey off the west coast of Manhattan.
Officials confirmed the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists, including three children, died in the tragedy, after FlightRadar24 showed the helicopter had taken off from Manhattan heliport on a sightseeing tour.
Katie Hawkinson, Oliver O'Connell and Tara Cobham cover everything we know so far about the crash:
Eight-year-old child's birthday was on Friday, says NYC mayor
15:00
,
Alex Croft
New York City mayor Eric Adams has confirmed the children who tragically died in the helicopter crash were aged 4, 8 and 10, following a number of conflicting reports.
The eight-year-old’s birthday was on Friday, Adams said.
"So this is probably part of the normal tourist attraction of seeing the city from the skyline," he told Fox 5 New York. "But it's just a real unfortunate situation. And our heart goes out to the family members."
Same helicopter company had crash land in 2013
14:48
,
Alex Croft
The same company which owns the downed helicopter from Thursday’s crash owned a chopper involved in another crash - in the same river.
A Bell 206 helicopter carrying four Swedish tourists in 2013 lost power and made an emergency landing in the river. It belonged to New York Helicopter Charter.
The pilot and four family members all survived without any injuries reported, after the aircrafts pontoons were deployed before the helicopter landed in the water, the New York Post reported.
Spanish family were celebrating mother's 40th birthday, says Jersey City mayor
14:37
,
Alex Croft
The Mayor of New Jersey has said the Spanish family-of-five were celebrating the mother’s 40th birthday.
New York City mayor Eric Adams and media reports in the US and Spain have both claimed one of the children was celebrating a birthday - it is currently unclear whether both are true.
“The Husband was here for a business trip and the family flew out to extend the trip a couple days in NYC,” Steven Fulop said.
“They were celebrating the mom’s 40th bday with the tourist helicopter flight yesterday. The kids were all 11yo and younger.
“The brother in law is flying in this morning and we are working with ME to expedite release of the family to fly back to Spain.
“Take a moment today and think about this family and your family. These situations are always very difficult and sad,” Fulop added.
A little context + I’m sharing this bc life moves quick + we don’t always think about the fact it is unpredictable + extremely fragile. On the helicopter crash. The Husband was here for a business trip + the family flew out to extend the trip a couple days in NYC. They were… https://t.co/E22Y6fM3B3
— Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) April 11, 2025
Pictured: Helicopter's landing skids poke out of the river
14:00
,
Alex Croft
Watch: Mayor Eric Adams confirms six deaths in Hudson River crash
08:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
We can sadly confirm there were six deaths in the Hudson River helicopter crash — three adults and three children.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) April 10, 2025
The crash is under investigation, and our teams will assist with all efforts to understand what happened. pic.twitter.com/YG9vCGkQLY
Siemens releases photo of executive killed in crash
13:29
,
Alex Croft
Watch: NYPD confirms on Thursday six deaths in Hudson River helicopter crash as investigations are underway
13:16
A history of helicopter crashes in New York City after Hudson River incident
13:02
,
Alex Croft
At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, when an accident on a skyscraper landing pad led the city to start putting restrictions on where choppers could land.
Helicopter flights are getting renewed scrutiny after a fatal crash into the Hudson River on Thursday.
The sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the river, killing the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists in the latest U.S. aviation disaster, officials said.
The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Monta, a global manager at an energy technology company, and three children, in addition to the pilot.
Read more:
Who was Agustin Escobar?
12:51
,
Madeline Sherratt
The father of the family who perished in the crash has been named as Agustin Escobar.
According to his LinkedIn page, Escobar worked as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility in a career that spanned over 27 years.
He began his tenure in 1998 as the head of sales and project management of Power Automation systems in Madrid, working his way up to various management positions before being named Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure last October.
He previously served as the CEO of Siemens Spain.
On his profile, Escobar said that he was now based in Berlin.
Just a day before the crash, Escobar posted about his company’s latest rail project being launched in the UK.
“What an inspiring example of investment in rail infrastructure and technology! Looking forward to seeing the innovation that will emerge from this new center,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
A Siemens spokesperson provided a statement to The Independent Friday: “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.”
The company confirmed to The Independent that both Escobar and Montal were their employees.
Helicopter owner 'absolutely devastated' by tragedy
12:42
,
Alex Croft
The owner of the tourist helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River this afternoon, killing all six people on board, including a family from Spain, told The New York Post he’s “devastated.”
“It’s devastation,” New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth said. “I’m a father and a grandfather and to have children on there, I’m devastated. I’m 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,” a visibly shaken Roth said. “And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. 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.”
Helicopter flight path mapped
12:33
,
Alex Croft
In pictures: Aftermath of Thursday's horror crash
12:23
,
Alex Croft
Trump says Transport Sec Duffy working on case - ICYMI
12:03
,
Alex Croft
President Donald Trump has sent his condolences to the family and friends of the victims and said that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his department are working on the case.
The president wrote on Truth Social:
Terrible helicopter crash in the Hudson River. Looks like six people, the pilot, two adults, and three children, are no longer with us. The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and his talented staff are on it. Announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!
Family was on holiday for child's birthday before crash - report
11:45
,
Alex Croft
The Spanish family-of-five which died in yesterday’s crash were in New York to celebrate one of the children’s birthdays, according to Diario.es.
Pictures circulating on social media appear to show the family standing outside the helicopter shortly before taking the trip.
Victim has close ties to FC Barcelona - report
11:35
,
Alex Croft
One of the victims of the crash, Mercè Camprubí Montal, was the granddaughter of FC Barcelona’s former president.
Montal was also the sister of Joan Camprubí, part of an opposition group within the club against the current leadership structured headed by Joan Laporta, Diario.es reports.
Agustí Montal Costa, a Spanish econommist and businessman who descended from a family of Catalan cotton textile manufacturers, held the presidency of Barcelona from 1969 until 1977.
He was behind the world-record fee signing of Johan Cruyff, one of the most impactful and historically significant signings in the club’s history.
Spanish regional government officials express 'sorrow and dismay' over crash
11:27
,
Alex Croft
Catalan regional officials have expressed their “sorrow” after a family of five from the area died in Thursday’s horror helicopter crash.
"(I am) dismayed by the tragic helicopter accident in the Hudson River in New York which cost the lives of six people, five of which were members of a Barcelona family," Catalan regional president Salvador Illa wrote on X.
Another regional official said Agustin Escobar was originally from Puertollano, a town in central Spain.
"I want to express my sorrow for the traffic helicopter accident in New York that claimed the lives of Agustin Escobar and his family," Castilla La Mancha regional president Emiliano Garcia-Page wrote on X. "Agustin is native of Puertollano and in 2023 we named him a Favorite Son of Castilla La Mancha."
What do we know about the helicopter pilot?
11:13
,
Alex Croft
One of the victims who died onboard the flight was the helicopter pilot, who is yet to be formally identified by authorities.
The pilot reportedly warned he needed to refuel just moments before the aircraft disintegrated midair, according to the outlet.
It was flying for roughly 18 minutes before it nose-dived into the water.
Pictured: Spanish couple who died alongside children in crash
11:02
,
Alex Croft
Watch: Footage of aftermath following fatal helicopter crash
10:48
,
Alex Croft
Siemens confirms wife of former CEO was also high-ranking employee
10:27
,
Alex Croft, Madeline Sherratt
Siemens has now confirmed that two of its employees died in the horror helicopter crash.
The Germany-based tech company had earlier confirmed that former CEO of Siemens Spain, Agustin Escobar, died in the crash alongside his family.
Spokesperson Christoph Erhard has now confirmed to The Independent that Mercè Camprubi Montal, Agustin’s wife, was a high-ranking employee for Siemens Energy.
"Augustin Escobar was Global CEO Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. Before he took this role in October 2024, he was CEO Siemens Spain und Siemens Mobility Spain for one year,” Erhard said.
“Agustin’s spouse Mercè Camprubi Montal was Global Commercialization Manager - Team Digital with Siemens Energy."
What we know about victims of Hudson River helicopter crash in New York
10:16
,
Alex Croft
Six people, including a couple, their three children, and the pilot, have been identified as the victims aboard the helicopter that plunged into the Hudson River on April 10.
The Spanish family and the pilot were killed after the tourist helicopter broke apart midair and plunged upside-down into the water in Lower Manhattan.
Debris was captured by passers-by, flailing in the air as the tragedy unfolded.
Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy, and their children, aged 4, 5, and 11, were named by a person briefed on the investigation to The Associated Press.
Madeline Sherratt reports:
Helicopter plunged into water in 'several pieces', says witness
10:08
,
Alex Croft
Witnesses have recalled seeing the helicopter plunge in “several pieces” into the Hudson River.
Dani Horbiak was at her Jersey City home when she heard what sounded like "several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air”.
Looking out of the window, she saw the chopper "splash in several pieces into the river”.
Lesley Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey, recalled the helicopter spinning uncontrollable with “a bunch of smoke coming out” before slamming into the water.
Pilot and family with three children killed after helicopter crashes in Hudson River near midtown ManhattanFull report:
09:57
,
Alex Croft
Six people are dead after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.
A family of Spanish tourists, including two adults and three children were on board, as well as the pilot, New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed at a press conference.
Four of those on board were pronounced dead at the scene, while another two died in a local hospital, authorities confirmed.
Five of the victims late Thursday were identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a global manager at an energy technology company, and their three children, a person briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press.
Ariana Baio reports from New York:
Siemens Mobility 'deeply saddened' by death of CEO
09:30
,
Alex Croft
Siemens Mobility, the company for which helicopter crash victim Agustin Escobar was CEO, has said it is “deeply saddened” to learn of his death.
Escobar, who was the chief of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility - the train transportation arm of Germany-based technology company Siemens - was killed alongside four members of his family.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives," the spokesperson told The Independent.
Mapped: Flight path of the helicopter before Thursday's fatal crash
09:18
,
Alex Croft
Here’s what we know so far about the deadly helicopter crash
09:13
,
Oliver O'Connell
Six people have died after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan.
At approximately 3:15 p.m., a Bell 206 LongRanger crashed into the river that divides New York City from New Jersey. According to FlightRadar24, the helicopter took off from a Manhattan heliport on a sightseeing tour.
Here’s what we know about the crash:
Lawmaker calls for ban on tourist helicopters
08:59
,
Alex Croft
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal has called for a ban on sightseeing helicopter tours, saying we were “minutes” from disaster had the chopper crashed into the densely-populated ground.
Including the crash on Thursday, 25 people have died in New York City in helicopter sightseeing incidents - all of whom have been onboard the aircraft.
"We averted disaster possibly by just minutes. And that is the concern here. Which is if a helicopter gets in trouble in a densely populated area like Manhattan, the disaster could be far worse," Hoylman-Sigal said according to ABC 7 New York.
"There's no reason to allow tourists and tour flight operators to use our valuable precious airspace," he said, adding: "the danger is that FAA regulates airspace above 500 feet, so the city and state are prohibited from passing laws that make tourist choppers safer. “
The senator has been trying to limit helicopter traffic over the city to first responders, news and necessary transport.
FDNY: Divers immediately deployed into river for rescue operation
08:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
The Fire Department of New York released the following statement:
Around 3:15 Thursday afternoon, the FDNY received calls for a helicopter crash in the Hudson River. FDNY Marine Units quickly responded to waters off Pier 40 in Lower Manhattan. FDNY divers were immediately deployed into the river to begin rescue operations. Tragically, six people were pronounced dead.
Around 3:15 Thursday afternoon, the FDNY received calls for a helicopter crash in the Hudson River. FDNY Marine Units quickly responded to waters off Pier 40 in Lower Manhattan. FDNY divers were immediately deployed into the river to begin rescue operations. Tragically, six… pic.twitter.com/8oT26WrVzf
— FDNY (@FDNY) April 10, 2025
Spanish PM: This is an unimaginable tragedy
08:37
,
Alex Croft
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has commented on the “unimaginable tragedy” in the Hudson River, after a Spanish family of five were killed in the crash.
Sanchez said in an X post: “The news reaching us today of the helicopter crash in the Hudson River is devastating.
“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.”
Las noticias que hoy nos llegan del accidente de helicóptero en el río Hudson son devastadoras.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) April 10, 2025
Cinco españoles de una misma familia, tres de ellos niños, y el piloto han perdido la vida. Una tragedia inimaginable.
Acompaño en el dolor a los allegados de las víctimas en este…
Watch: Moment of Hudson helicopter crash captured on flight tracker
08:31
,
Alex Croft
‘Obviously mechanical failure’, says pilot of same helicopter model
08:24
,
Alex Croft
Dan Rice, who frequently flies in the same model of helicopter as the one which plummeted into the Hudson River, has said it was “obviously a catastrophic failure” which caused the crash.
Speaking to CBS News, he said: "Obviously, a catastrophic failure of the aircraft. That's very obvious. Booms and noises like that indicate some sort of mechanical issue.”
"There's one video in particular where you see the main component of the helicopter, the fuselage, upside down,” he added. “And what struck me, what scared me, is the main rotor system was gone.
“There's no main rotor on the helicopter. And the tail boom was also gone, and it's just a vessel at that point with no direction."
Rice said he “can’t imagine” what could have led to the tail rotor - the system which prevents the helicopter spinning out of control - from falling off.
“We'll wait for the investigation to give us those details, but from what I've seen, separation of the blades is what caused this chopper to go down. What led to the separation is what we have to find out," he added.
In pictures: Rescue efforts continue into the night after four bodies recovered
08:13
,
Alex Croft
