Hudson Helicopter Crash Is The Most Tragic Thing...

A scenic helicopter ride meant to celebrate a child’s birthday turned into a heartbreaking tragedy on Thursday, when a tourist helicopter plunged into the Hudson River, killing all six people onboard — including a family of five visiting New York City from Spain.

Agustín Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubí Montal, and their three young children — ages 4, 5, and 11 — were visiting from Barcelona and had just arrived in the city to kick off a celebratory trip. According to El Diario, the family was marking the birthday of one of their children and had planned a special day that included a sightseeing tour of Manhattan from above.

Their excitement was tragically short-lived.

Just 16 minutes after takeoff, the helicopter — a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV operated by New York Helicopter Tours — crashed into the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey. The pilot, a 36-year-old man whose name has not yet been released, also died in the crash.

Before the chopper went down, the pilot radioed a distress call, warning that the aircraft was dangerously low on fuel. Moments later, it lost control midair. Witnesses near Pier 40 described hearing a loud “boom” and saw the helicopter spiraling before crashing into the cold waters. Harrowing video footage showed the helicopter’s fuselage flipping upside down as it plummeted, creating a large splash upon impact.

Rescue crews arrived swiftly, but the outcome was devastating. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and two more were taken to a nearby hospital where they later succumbed to their injuries. Late Thursday evening, the wreckage was pulled from the river as divers continued to search the area to ensure no one else had been onboard.

Escobar served as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, while Camprubí Montal worked in a high-level role at Siemens Energy. According to her LinkedIn, she also came from a prominent Catalan family — her grandfather, Agustí Montal Costa, was once the president of the iconic FC Barcelona soccer club.

Photos posted on the New York Helicopter Tours website showed the family smiling in front of the aircraft before boarding, unaware that it would be their last moments together. The images have since been removed from the site but continue to circulate online, haunting many who saw the happy group moments before the disaster.

Michael Roth, the CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, said he was “devastated” by the crash and deeply shaken by the loss of children on board.

“I’m absolutely devastated. I’m a father and a grandfather,” he told The New York Post. “The only thing I know by watching the video is that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter when it went down.”

While the investigation is still ongoing, Roth speculated that the crash could have been caused by a catastrophic mechanical failure or a bird strike, though he admitted, “I have no clue. This is horrific.”

He added, “You have to remember, these are machines — and machines sometimes break.”

As the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA investigate what went wrong, calls for increased safety measures for helicopter tours in urban areas are expected to intensify.

Former President Donald Trump reacted to the news on Truth Social, writing, “Terrible crash. The video of the accident is horrific. God bless the families and friends of the victims.”

The tragedy has shaken New Yorkers and sparked grief around the world even online, particularly in Spain, where Escobar and Montal were known for their professional achievements and community ties.

What was supposed to be a joyful birthday trip ended in unimaginable sorrow — a haunting reminder of how quickly joy can turn into devastation.