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Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Relative of family killed in doomed helicopter lays flowers at Hudson River crash site
NEW YORK — A relative of the family of six tourists killed in the doomed helicopter crash in the Hudson River laid flowers at the crash site Saturday as he went about the grisly task of bringing their bodies back to Spain to be buried. 'They left together. They left without suffering and they left with a smile on their faces,' Joan Camprubí Montal said about his sister Merce Camprubi Montal, her husband Agustin Escobar and their three children, Augustin Jr., 10, Mercedes, 8, and Victor, 4. 'That's important to us as a family. We want to remember and honor their smile forever.' Mayor Eric Adams joined Camprubí Montal as he took a boat to the site of Thursday's helicopter crash, laying flowers for both his family and pilot Seankese 'Sean' Johnson. The flowers, Adams said, was a 'symbolic gesture for the loss of life.' 'What should have been a happy vacation turned into an unimaginable tragedy,' he said. 'Our hearts are broken and we want to say to the family members and the wider Spanish community that we're here with you. 'No words can fill the void, the loss, but we can collaborate together and make sure the families involved get the support of this city,' Adams said at a brief press conference at Pier 40. Escobar, the CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, and his family were all killed with Johnson after pieces of the helicopter, including the rotor, appeared to break off in mid-air on the Jersey City side of the river Thursday afternoon. The helicopter overturned and dropped from the sky, hitting the water upside down. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, but several pieces of the chopper, including its rotors, were still missing. NYPD divers on Saturday were using sonar to try to find the missing pieces at the bottom of the river. Adams had flown back to New York after visiting the Dominican Republic, where he mourned the 221 people killed in the Santo Domingo nightclub roof collapse. The crash investigation will include 'reports of a large flock of birds in the area shortly before the crash,' NTSB Chairperson Jennifer Homendy said. Early speculation before the NTSB arrived was that the helicopter fell victim to a bird strike. 'We are aware of the reports and it is something we will be looking into,' she said. 'Everything is on the table. We don't rule anything out. We will not speculate on a preliminary cause.' The copter first headed up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge, where it turned around and then headed back south, flying along the New Jersey side of the river before suddenly dropping upside down into the river near Hoboken, Mayor Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Thursday. The flight lasted less than 18 minutes, officials said. The family came to New York City to celebrate the birthday of one of their children. Escobar was already in the city on business and had his family join him so they could 'extend the trip a couple days in New York City,' Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said Friday. Johnson, 36, had radioed moments before plummeting into the water that he was desperately low on fuel and was heading back to the lower Manhattan helipad, New York Helicopter CEO Michael Roth told The Telegraph. The pilot made the radio transmission just before the 3:15 p.m. crash on the New Jersey side of the river. The helicopter took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in lower Manhattan shortly before 3 p.m. Joan Camprubí Montal said Saturday that he and his family appreciated all the support they have received from both sides of the Atlantic. 'You can imagine we are trying to assimilate the situation. We want to move the bodies as soon as possible back home to rest in peace together,' he said. 'This is a really difficult situation, but we are overwhelmed by the massive condolences we received. 'This is probably because the Escobar-Camprubí Montal family was a loved family,' he said, solemnly.
USA Today
12-04-2025
- USA Today
Who was the family in the Hudson River helicopter crash? What we know about the Escobars
Who was the family in the Hudson River helicopter crash? What we know about the Escobars Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive, was joined by his wife and their three young children for a doomed aerial sightseeing tour of New York City. Show Caption Hide Caption Spanish family of five, pilot killed in NYC helicopter crash A family of five taking a flight over New York City and their pilot were killed after their helicopter crashed into the Hudson river. The Spanish executive who was killed along with his family Thursday afternoon in a helicopter crash in New York City was on a vacation celebrating his wife's birthday, according to officials. Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive, was joined by his wife and their three young children for an afternoon sightseeing tour of New York City when the helicopter they were aboard crashed upside down into the Hudson River. Pilot Seankese Johnson was also killed in the crash. Escobar's company confirmed that he was the victim in the crash, which occurred when the aircraft plummeted into the river separating Manhattan from New Jersey. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend, Agustin Escobar, and his beloved family," Siemens CEO Roland Busch said in a social media post on X. Here's what we know so far about the Escobars and their fateful trip to New York City: NYC helicopter crash: What we know about victims, what happened Escobars killed in helicopter crash during NYC sightseeing tour The helicopter was touring New York City when it fell out of the sky shortly after 3:15 p.m. Thursday and crashed into the Hudson River, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a news conference. The helicopter was identified as a single-engine Bell 206 helicopter operated by sightseeing company New York Helicopter. The flight path the helicopter was on is a popular sightseeing route around New York City. The family took the excursion while visiting from Spain, Adams said. Adams said all five members of the family – two adults and three children – and a pilot died. Four were pronounced dead at the scene and two died at hospitals. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said on X Friday morning that the father in the Spanish family was in the U.S. for a business trip before his family flew out to spend a few days in New York City. The family was celebrating the wife and mother's 40th birthday, he added. Though crews had already pulled the main body of the helicopter from the river, diving operations were expected to continue Friday morning to recover remaining pieces of the wreckage. Who were the Escobars? What we know about crash victims Escobar was CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, the train transportation arm of the Germany-based technology company Siemens, the company has confirmed. Family members named his wife to multiple outlets as Mercè Camprubí Montal, including the New York Times and ABC News. Their children were all under the age of 11, Fulop said in his post on X. Escobar, 49, was born in Puertollano, a small city in central Spain, Emiliano García-Page, the region's leader, said on social media. García-Page added that the region had in 2023 celebrated him as a 'favorite son.' Before taking his current role, Escobar was named in 2022 as the chief executive of Siemens Spain, according to a press release from the technology conglomerate. His predecessor, Miguel Ángel López had high praise for Escobar, calling his work "key" to the company's success. Escobar also previously worked for the technology giant in the United States and Brazil, according to his LinkedIn profile. Camprubí's LinkedIn profile shows she was an executive with Siemens Energy, a separate company. Family's remains to be taken back to Spain Carlos Prieto, a government official, told reporters in Spain that the family's remains would be brought back once a New York judge granted permission to Spanish officials. Fulop further added that a brother-in-law of the family was due to fly in Friday morning as officials worked with the medical examiner to expedite the release of the bodies back to Spain. Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, called the incident 'an unimaginable tragedy' in a post on X. 'I share in the grief of the victims' loved ones at this heartbreaking time,' he said. Helicopter pilot also killed Pilot Seankese Johnson had only just moved to New York City, according to a Facebook profile. He was from Chicago. The 36-year-old's profile photo dated to March 28 shows him flying by One World Trade Center. Earlier photos on the public page show him flying by the Willis Tower in his native city. Johnson was a Navy veteran, according to his Facebook profile. National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy told reporters on Friday that Johnson had accumulated hundreds of hours of flight time. He held a commercial pilot certificate, and as of March had 788 hours of total flight time, she said. Officials do not yet know how much experience he had aboard the Bell helicopter, which is the model that tumbled into the Hudson River on April 11. What caused the helicopter crash in New York City? The cause of the crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, along with the Federal Aviation Administration. Authorities believe the helicopter fell into the water "inverted." Video of the crash appears to show the helicopter plummeting into the water, followed by a detached helicopter blade seconds later. Why did NYC helicopter crash? No chance of recovery from catastrophic failure, experts say The helicopter's landing gear could be seen emerging from the water as rescue crews swarmed the area afterward. When the helicopter crashed, it was cloudy with winds around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph, according to AccuWeather. The helicopter was in the Special Flight Rules Area in New York, where no air traffic control services are provided, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Thursday post on X. Contributing: Donovan Slack, Trevor Hughes, Eduardo Cuevas, Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY
USA Today
12-04-2025
- USA Today
Officials ID all victims in NYC helicopter crash: What we know
Officials ID all victims in NYC helicopter crash: What we know Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, his family, and the helicopter pilot were killed when it crashed into the Hudson River. Show Caption Hide Caption Spanish family of five, pilot killed in NYC helicopter crash A family of five taking a flight over New York City and their pilot were killed after their helicopter crashed into the Hudson river. Officials have identified all six people aboard the sightseeing helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River near New Jersey as investigators scour the murky water for additional parts of the chopper. Among the six killed in the April 10 crash were pilot Seankese Johnson, 36, and a family of five visiting from Spain, including Agustin Escobar, an executive at tech company Siemens, his wife, and their three children, ages 4, 8 and 10. Escobar was in the city on business but had extended the trip so he and his family could celebrate his daughter's ninth birthday on April 11, according to Steven Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey. The Bell 206 helicopter collapsed near Jersey City, New Jersey, around 3:15 p.m. after taking off from a heliport in downtown Manhattan for an aerial tour of the city, officials said. The chopper was operated by New York Helicopter Charter Inc. and was owned by Meridian Helicopters LLC, based in Louisiana. The National Transportation Safety Board has begun an investigation into the cause of the crash. In a news conference, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told reporters that dive teams were still searching the waters of the Hudson to locate additional pieces of the helicopter. Homendy urged witnesses to send video and photos of the crash and asked for patience as investigators identify what led to chopper to tumble out of the sky. "We do not speculate, we need to confirm information," she said. "That is a process that takes time." Investigators probe reports of birds in the area National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference that the agency is investigating reports that there was a large flock of birds in the area at the time of the crash. Homendy said the reports about the birds is "something we will be looking into." Pilot had hundreds of hours of flight experience, NTSB chair says Johnson, the pilot of the aircraft, had accumulated hundreds of hours of flight time, Homendy said at a news conference. He held a commercial pilot certificate, and as of March had 788 hours of total flight time, she said. Officials do not yet know how much experience he had aboard the Bell helicopter, which is the model that tumbled into the Hudson River on April 11. The 36-year-old moved to the city recently, according to a Facebook profile. Johnson's profile photo dated to March 28 shows him flying by One World Trade Center and the public page shows photos of him flying by the Willis Tower in his native Chicago. The helicopter pilot was a Navy veteran, according to his profile. Divers still looking for pieces of helicopter Homendy said an NTSB team has began pulling components - including the engine - off the wreckage to begin a comprehensive analysis. She said NYPD divers are still searching for pieces of the helicopter, including its roof and tail structures and the main rotor. She said the NTSB has not identified a preliminary cause of the crash. See the moment the helicopter crashed Video taken by eyewitnesses shows the moment the helicopter fell to the water, appearing to twist rapidly on its descent. Moments after a rotor can be seen falling detached from the aircraft itself. Watch the video: Moment helicopter crashes in New York City, killing 6 Six people, including five members of one family, died when the sightseeing helicopter lost control over the Hudson River in New York. What we know about the crash victims Escobar was with his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, law enforcement sources reportedly told ABC News. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the crash was an "unimaginable tragedy." "Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives," Sanchez said. "I sympathize with the victims' loved ones at this heartbreaking time." The Escobar family: Who was the family in the Hudson River helicopter crash? What to know about NYC sightseeing choppers Choppers are big business in New York. They generate $78 million for the city annually and 30,000 flights leave every year from the downtown heliport alone, Jennifer Sun of the city's Economic Development Corporation told City Council last year. But the flights have also been subject to scrutiny over safety concerns – at least 38 people have died in helicopter crashes in the city since 1977 – as well as noise complaints. In fact the council meeting last year where Sun shared flight data was called in response to a 2,000% jump in helicopter noise complaints over five years, Council Member Amanda Farías said at the meeting. Residents and legislators have called for an outright ban of nonessential flights, including sightseeing choppers and commuter flights, which vastly outnumber flights piloted by emergency personnel or media. More: Helicopter tours of NYC have a controversial and deadly history Tourists opt viewing NYC skyline from the plane or a skyscraper Sightseeing helicopter rides have become a popular part of any New York City tour but the crash on Thursday left many visitors inclined to find another way to view the iconic skyline. On a rainy Friday, Maureen Standing said she and her boyfriend, Sean Maurath could 'view it from the airplane.' The couple from Cleveland arrived last night into LaGuardia Airport, in Queens, said Standing, 46. 'We got a solid view of it all lit up,' Standing, a teacher, said, as the pair exited the subway by the Empire State Building for a nearby museum. "I'm apprehensive about flying these days anyway." The Weiß family from Germany was staying at a hotel in Jersey City, just a few hundred yards from where the chopper plunged into the Hudson River. Broder Weiß said the family had no plans of going on a helicopter ride. The 17-year-old had heard about the skyline tours from friends but his mother is afraid of heights. 'So that kind of stands in the way of that,' said the teenager. His mother's fear didn't stop the Weiß family on Thursday from ascending One World Trade Center, the tallest building in North America. 'I think that's enough view from above,' Weiß said. – Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY What might have happened to the helicopter It's too early to say what happened to the sightseeing helicopter, but video of the aircraft careening into the river makes it clear there was some kind of catastrophic failure of the rotor, said Jim Brauchle, an aviation attorney with Motley Rice LLC who has represented families of crashes and a former Air Force navigator. Video shows what appears to be a detached rotor falling moments after the helicopter hit the water. "When you see the rotor detaching, two things come to mind. One is there was some type of mechanical or structural failure that made it separate. Second is this phenomenon called 'mast bumping,'" Brauchle told USA TODAY. Mast bumping happens when the rotor blade of the helicopter tilts too far down and strikes the helicopter, which can cut the tail of the helicopter off and appears to be what happened to this craft, he said. It can happen when a pilot makes too abrupt of a maneuver such as a quick dive or climb. It's not a terribly common phenomenon, but it's happened before, particularly in smaller helicopters that have two rotor blades, Brauchle said. That's common for sightseeing helicopters. 'I haven't seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business,' New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth told the New York Post. '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.' 'This is horrific,' Roth said. 'But you gotta remember something, these are machines and they break.' A mechanical failure is also possible, Brauchle said. Metal fatigue can set in with the rotors after they're used for a long time. Brauchle said tourism helicopters are among the most used because they're out flying for hours every day, sometimes in harsh weather. Regular maintenance is important to prevent disasters, but some parts failures might not be detectible in an inspection, he said. Brauchle said he helped represent the families of victims of a 2009 disaster involving a sightseeing helicopter that collided with a private plane over the Hudson River. "It was this same kind of thing where parents and children got killed, and I just remember the devastation of those families. So really, my heart goes out to the relatives of the people that got killed, because it's just an unbearable loss," he said. Helicopter group says industry is 'devastated' The chairman of a helicopter industry group said the crash has "devastated" the community. "All of our thoughts – and the thoughts of a nation - are with the families and loved ones of the victims during this unimaginable time," said Jeff Smith, the chairman of the Eastern Region Helicopter Council. Smith said the helicopter community would cooperate and assist in the investigation to ensure nothing like this happens again. "Safety is the cornerstone of our industry, and any loss of life is a profound tragedy that reminds us of the heavy responsibility we bear every day," he said. Start your day smart: Sign up for USA TODAY's Daily Briefing newsletter. Investigation into cause of crash continues The family was on a sightseeing helicopter tour with the company New York Helicopter, which charges hundreds of dollars per person for aerial tours of various landmarks in the city, according to its website. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, but said they believe the helicopter fell into the water "inverted." Video of the crash appears to show the helicopter plummeting into the water followed by a detached helicopter blade seconds later. The helicopter's landing gear could be seen emerging from the water as rescue crews swarmed the area afterward. AccuWeather said the skies were cloudy with a southeast wind at 10 to 15 mph at the time of the crash. USA TODAY has reached out to the New York Police Department, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration for more information into the investigation. Contributing: Donovan Slack, Trevor Hughes, Eduardo Cuevas and Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY; Reuters
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Who were the victims in the Hudson River helicopter crash? What we know
The search for answers continued Friday a day after a tragic helicopter crash into the Hudson River left six people dead. Agustin Escobar, Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, was among the victims of the April 10 crash, along with his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their children, ages 4, 5 and 11. The pilot, a 36-year-old man, also died in the crash. Escobar had been with Siemens for 27 years, most recently as global CEO of Rail Infrastructure since October 2024. His previous roles included president and CEO of Siemens Spain, CEO of Siemens Mobility Southwest Europe Region, and CEO and President of Siemens Rail Automation. According to his LinkedIn profile, he had held leadership roles in the United States, Germany, South America, and Spain. He studied electrical industrial engineering at Universidad Pontificia Comillas and earned an MBA from Universidad de Alcalá in 2002. He later completed an Executive MBA in Business Administration from IE Business School in 2005. His wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, was global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy. Her LinkedIn profile indicates she led a range of international projects, living in New York City and working across the U.S., Canada, and briefly in Latin America. She held a master's degree in project management and business organization from Università degli Studi di Firenze in Italy. 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives,' a Siemens spokesperson said in a statement. The crash occurred shortly after 3:15 p.m., according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams. The single-engine Bell 206 helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter, went down in the Hudson River. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others died at area hospitals. The family was on a sightseeing tour with New York Helicopter, which offers aerial excursions of Manhattan landmarks and charges hundreds of dollars per person, according to its website. All five family members were Spanish nationals visiting New York. Adams called the crash 'an unspeakable tragedy,' adding, 'Our hearts go out to the family and everyone impacted by this horrific incident.' It marks one of the deadliest helicopter crashes in New York City since 2018, when five people died after a private aircraft went down in the East River. This article originally appeared on Who died in helicopter crash into Hudson River? The latest
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
5 Family Members Killed in Hudson River Helicopter Crash Were on Celebratory Birthday Trip for 1 of the Children: Report
The family of five who died when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed into the Hudson River off New York City were on a celebratory vacation, according to reports. Agustín Escobar, the president of the Spanish branch of the technology company Siemens, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children, ages 4, 5, and 11, were confirmed to be the victims of the crash, PEOPLE previously reported. The pilot, who was also killed, has not yet been identified. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend, Agustin Escobar, and his beloved family," Siemens CEO Roland Busch said on X. "Agustin was the CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Agustin's family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. We will miss him and his family immensely." The family traveled from Barcelona, Spain for a vacation to celebrate one of their young children's birthdays when the crash occurred, local news outlet El Diario reported. Related: CBS Anchor Gets Emotional as She Reports 6 People Died in Helicopter Crash Over New York City Authorities have not yet shared details of what caused the crash to happen. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a press conference shared on X on Thursday, April 10, 'Our hearts go out to the family and all six who were on board the helicopter.' He added that reports of the crash began at approximately 3:17 p.m., moments after the helicopter took off from downtown N.Y.C. The Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, said the aircraft was a Bell 206 helicopter. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Operator of Helicopter That Crashed into Hudson River Says He's Never 'Seen Anything Like That': 'I'm Devastated' The aircraft was flying for tour company New York Helicopters, as previously reported. It 'lost control and hit the water just a few feet off the coast of Pier A Park in Hoboken," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. One witness told the Associated Press that they saw the aircraft 'falling apart' midair, while another said the aircraft appeared to be spinning uncontrollably with 'a bunch of smoke coming out.' New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth said he was "devastated" following the incident, according to the New York Post. Read the original article on People
