A scenic helicopter tour over Manhattan ended in tragedy when a Spanish family’s dream vacation turned fatal just minutes after takeoff.
Moments after posing for a cheerful pre-flight photo, the helicopter carrying Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, their three young children, and the pilot crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, April 10. All six people on board were killed.
The family, visiting New York from Barcelona, was enjoying a sightseeing flight when the Bell 206 helicopter went down around 3:17 p.m., only 15 minutes after leaving the Wall Street Heliport. Authorities later identified the victims and confirmed that the 36-year-old pilot—whose name has not been released—also perished in the crash.
According to initial reports from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the helicopter went down near Lower Manhattan and plunged into the river close to Hoboken, New Jersey, after a sharp turn and rapid descent. Video footage captured by bystanders and widely shared online shows the aircraft spiraling nose-down, with debris visibly detaching midair—raising immediate concerns about a catastrophic mechanical failure.
Witnesses described hearing loud, alarming noises in the sky, followed by the sight of the rotor blades separating from the helicopter before it hit the water. One witness likened the sound to a “sonic boom.” Another, 21-year-old construction worker Eric Campoverde, recalled seeing the aircraft drop at a steep angle before vanishing into the river within seconds.
Michael Roth, the CEO of New York Helicopter Tour & Charter, said after reviewing the footage that the rotor blades were visibly missing during the descent—something he described as unprecedented in his three decades in the industry.
New York Helicopter, the tour operator, maintains that safety is a top priority, noting all its pilots are FAA-certified and highly trained. The Bell 206 helicopter, in particular, is considered one of the most reliable models in the aviation world. Despite this, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken over the investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
As the investigation continues, attention has turned to the lives lost—especially that of Agustin Escobar. A prominent figure in global transportation, Escobar served as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, headquartered in Berlin. His career spanned over 25 years, with leadership roles across multiple continents, and he was deeply respected for his work in advancing sustainable and digital rail technologies.
Escobar’s death, along with the loss of his wife and children, has sent shockwaves through the international engineering and transportation sectors. He was widely admired not just for his professional achievements, but also for his commitment to innovation and progress in public infrastructure.
The tragedy has left many mourning a family that came to New York seeking joy and adventure—only to have their lives cut short in an instant.