Helicopter Crashes into Hudson River, Killing Six Including Spanish Tourist Family

A tragic helicopter crash over New York City has claimed six lives, including a family of five Spanish tourists and the pilot, after the aircraft broke apart midair and plunged into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon. Operated by New York Helicopters, the Bell 206 chopper departed from a downtown heliport for a sightseeing flight before crashing just 18 minutes later near Jersey City. Witnesses described the aircraft spinning, emitting smoke, and losing its tail and rotor before slamming into the river.

Among the victims were Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children. The incident, described by aviation experts as a likely “catastrophic mechanical failure,” left the pilot with no chance of recovery. The crash follows a series of helicopter accidents in New York over recent decades and reignites calls to restrict tourist helicopter traffic over Manhattan.

Federal officials from the NTSB and FAA are investigating the cause of the crash, while recovery teams pulled the wreckage from the river Thursday night. The crash adds to a growing list of aviation tragedies in the U.S. this year, sparking renewed concern about the safety of commercial and recreational flights.