Tragedy Over the Hudson: Siemens Executive and Family Among Six Killed in Helicopter Crash

By Staff, Agencies

A tragic helicopter crash over New York’s Hudson River has claimed the lives of six people, including a Siemens executive and his family.

The Bell 206 helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, broke apart midair and plunged upside-down into the river on Thursday afternoon, according to officials.

The victims included Spanish national Agustin Escobar, a Siemens executive, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, their three children, and the pilot. The details were confirmed by a source close to the investigation, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Siemens has yet to issue an official comment.

The flight took off from a downtown Manhattan heliport at around 3 p.m. local time. New York Mayor Eric Adams later confirmed that all six bodies had been recovered from the water.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the helicopter traveled north over the Hudson River before turning south at the George Washington Bridge.

It crashed shortly after, around 3:15 p.m., near Lower Manhattan off the Hoboken, New Jersey shoreline.

Video footage captured the helicopter breaking apart in the air before pieces slammed into the river. Eyewitness Dani Horbiak, observing from her home in Jersey City, said she saw the aircraft "falling to pieces" and called emergency services, who had already dispatched rescue teams.

Divers retrieved the victims, with four declared dead at the scene. The other two were transported to hospitals, where they later succumbed to their injuries.

The crash took place in a Special Flight Rules Area [SFRA], meaning air traffic control was not managing the flight. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that both the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] and the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] would investigate, with NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy expected to provide updates from New York.

Helicopter safety is under renewed scrutiny following recent fatal incidents. The FAA plans to conduct a broader safety review in response to this tragedy and others, including a January crash involving a military helicopter and a commercial jet that killed 67 people.

New York City’s crowded airspace is home to dozens of tour operators offering aerial views of landmarks. The tour company involved, New York Helicopter Tours, had not commented at the time of reporting.