A sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and plunged into the Hudson River near Jersey City, N.J., west of New York City on Thursday afternoon, killing all six people on board, including the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists.
The crash happened around 3:17 p.m. Witnesses said they saw the helicopter spinning uncontrollably before hitting the water. It was found upside-down in the water when rescuers arrived at the scene.
Dani Horbiak, of Jersey City, told ABC News she heard what "sounded almost like gunshots in the sky" then watched pieces of the helicopter fall out of the sky and into the river.
Video taken by a bystander and posted to social media showed the helicopter plummeting and hitting the water, followed by a rotor that was spinning in the air.
The helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter, departed from a heliport in downtown Manhattan around 3 p.m.
Radar data showed the helicopter circled near the Statue of Liberty, flew north along the Manhattan skyline to the George Washington Bridge, and then back south before the crash. The flight lasted approximately 18 minutes.
New York Helicopters CEO Michael Roth told the Telegraph that the male pilot radioed to say that he needed more fuel and was returning to the helipad shortly before the crash.
“It should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth said, according to the U.K. newspaper.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.
Who were the victims?
The victims were identified as longtime Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a global manager at Siemens Energy, and their three young children, aged 4, 8 and 10 years old, in addition to the 36-year-old pilot, who was not identified.
Spanish government officials said the family lived in Barcelona. New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters that the 8-year-old’s 9th birthday was on Friday.
A photo posted on the helicopter company's website showed the couple and their children smiling before the flight took off.
According to his LinkedIn account, Escobar worked for Siemens for more than 27 years, most recently as global CEO for rail infrastructure.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives,” Siemens said in a statement early Friday. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.”
In a post on X, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the crash "an unimaginable tragedy."
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said "footage of the accident is horrendous" and that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was "on it."
What kind of helicopter was it?
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the helicopter as a Bell 206, a common single-engine aircraft widely used by police, TV news stations and sightseeing companies.
The helicopter can carry up to six occupants and flies at maximum speeds of about 115 mph.
It is considered to be a safe and reliable aircraft, though it has been involved in other tragedies. According to NTSB recordscited by the New York Times, Bell 206 helicopters have been involved in 82 fatal accidents in the United States since 2000.
How common are helicopter crashes in NYC?
The skies over New York City are filled with helicopters used for private and commercial flights, as well as police, newsgathering and aerial tourism.
According to the AP, at least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977. The most recent death came in 2019, when a helicopter hit the roof of a skyscraper, killing the pilot.
