Six people, including three children, died when a helicopter carrying a family of tourists crashed into the Hudson River in New York, officials confirmed Thursday.
The victims were a family of five from Spain and the pilot, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“All were onboard the helicopter at the time of the crash,” said Adams. “Our hearts go out to the families.”
Authorities have not officially released the names, but the victims have been widely identified as Agustín Escobar and his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal both executives at Siemens — and their three children, aged four, five, and eleven.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the news “devastating” and expressed solidarity with the grieving families. Salvador Illa, a regional leader in Barcelona, said he was sending “all my affection” to the loved ones of the victims.
Video footage shows the helicopter flipping upside down before plummeting into the river. The aircraft lost control shortly after making a turn at the George Washington Bridge to follow the New Jersey shoreline, officials said.
The Bell 206 helicopter, operated by New York Helicopters, departed from Downtown Skyport in lower Manhattan at 14:59 local time. The first emergency calls came in around 15:17, according to New York Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker.
“Swimmers were in the water shortly after the call,” he said. Rescue boats were launched immediately, and life-saving efforts began, but all attempts were unsuccessful. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others died at a nearby hospital.
The crash site, near Manhattan’s west side, lies close to NYU’s main campus and is a popular area known for shopping and restaurants.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation into the crash of the Bell 206 — a helicopter commonly used for sightseeing, news coverage, and police work.
US President Donald Trump described the crash as “terrible” and said further details would be released. “God bless the families and friends of the victims,” he posted on Truth Social.
Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Charter Inc., said he was “devastated” by the crash. “I’m a father, a grandfather, and my wife hasn’t stopped crying since this afternoon,” he told CNN.
When asked about the aircraft’s maintenance, Roth said, “It’s my director of maintenance who deals with that.”
Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion and panic. Jersey City resident Jenn Lynk said she initially thought it was nothing serious until emergency sirens began. Another witness, Ipsitaa Banigrhi, said the crash “sounded like thunder,” and she saw “black particles flying.”
This isn’t the first fatal sightseeing helicopter crash in New York. In 2018, a helicopter went down in the East River, killing five passengers. In 2009, a helicopter collided mid-air with a private plane over the Hudson, claiming nine lives.
