Additional Coverage:
- Pilot in Hudson River helicopter crash called about needing fuel before fatal accident, CEO says (foxnews.com)
Tragedy struck the New York City skyline Thursday afternoon as a helicopter carrying a family of five and their pilot plummeted into the frigid waters of the Hudson River. All six souls aboard perished in the crash.
The helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tour, took off from a downtown Manhattan heliport around 3 p.m. Just minutes before the catastrophe, the pilot radioed in, reporting a need to refuel and intending to land. However, the aircraft never reached its destination.
According to Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tour, the pilot’s last communication indicated he was just three minutes away. “Twenty minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” a bewildered Roth stated.
He further expressed shock at the apparent detachment of the rotor blades in flight, a phenomenon he hadn’t witnessed in his 30 years in the helicopter business. While the official cause remains under investigation, Roth speculated about a possible bird strike or rotor failure.
The passengers, visiting from Spain, have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Mercé Camprubi Montal, a global manager at an energy technology company, and their three young children. The pilot’s identity has not yet been released. Poignant photos from the helicopter company’s website show the family happily posing inside the aircraft moments before takeoff.
Bystander video captures the horrifying final descent, showing the rotor separating from the helicopter as it spiraled into the river near Jersey City. Emergency responders, including divers from the NYPD and FDNY, raced to the scene, pulling six individuals from the wreckage.
Despite desperate lifesaving efforts on a nearby pier, all were pronounced dead, some at the scene and others at local hospitals. The chilling water temperature of the Hudson River, recorded in the mid-40s, undoubtedly contributed to the tragic outcome.
Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences, acknowledging the heartbreak of such an accident befalling a family on vacation. He likened the tragedy to the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson” plane landing, expressing gratitude that no lives were lost in that incident.
The Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers are assisting the NTSB in the ongoing investigation and debris recovery. The helicopter was salvaged later that evening.
As a precaution, a safety zone was enforced around the Holland Tunnel and the affected area of the Hudson River until 10 p.m. Thursday.
This marks the first helicopter crash in the city since 2019, when a pilot died after striking a skyscraper.