A tragic helicopter crash in New York’s Hudson River has resulted in the deaths of all six occupants, including a family of five.
The incident, which occurred at 3:17pm Eastern Time on April 10, involved a helicopter operated by New York Helicopters, as confirmed by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The aircraft went down in the river, sparking an immediate search and rescue operation. Unfortunately, New York City Mayor Eric Adams later announced that there were no survivors.
The victims have been identified, including Siemens executive Agustín Escobar from Barcelona, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, aged 11, five, and four. The pilot’s identity remains unknown.
Michael Roth, the chopper’s owner, shared with The Telegraph that the pilot had radioed in about needing fuel and was expected to arrive within three minutes, but after 20 minutes, the helicopter had not appeared.
Eyewitness Max described the event to ABC News, recounting the sound of a “sonic boom” and seeing the helicopter break apart, with the rotor flying off and the main body crashing into the water.
Max further described how nothing surfaced afterward and that he witnessed the arrival of emergency services a few minutes later.
The helicopter had departed from Downtown Manhattan at 2:59pm, and the FAA has identified the aircraft as a Bell 206 on its sixth trip of the day. The National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.
Former President Donald Trump expressed his condolences on Truth Social, lamenting the loss and highlighting the efforts of the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to uncover the cause of the accident.