Pilot of crashed New York helicopter was reportedly low on fuel and headed back to helipad

Fatal Hudson River Helicopter Crash: Pilot Reported Low Fuel Before Tragedy

A sightseeing helicopter tragically crashed into New York City’s Hudson River on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals aboard. According to the helicopter operator, the pilot issued a radio communication moments before the incident, indicating low fuel and an intention to return to the helipad.

Pilot’s Distress Call and Unanswered Return

Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, detailed the pilot’s final communication. The pilot, who remains unnamed publicly, departed from the downtown Manhattan heliport approximately 16 minutes prior, undertaking the sixth aerial tour of the day. He radioed in his plan to land for refueling. The expected return time was approximately three minutes, yet he failed to arrive within 20 minutes, Roth stated to a UK news source.

Victims Identified: Spanish Family Among the Deceased

In addition to the pilot, the devastating crash claimed the lives of five members of a family from Spain. New York City Mayor Eric Adams identified the victims as Agustín Escobar, a Siemens technology company executive, his wife Mercè Camprubí, who was celebrating her 40th birthday, and their three children, aged 10, eight, and four. Tragically, the middle child’s ninth birthday would have been the following day, Friday, according to Mayor Adams.

Recovery Efforts and Investigation Commenced

Authorities initiated recovery efforts immediately, with divers returning to the Hudson River early Friday to retrieve wreckage from the downed aircraft. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop reported that “major components” of the Bell 206 helicopter disintegrated mid-air before impacting the water. A relative from Spain was expected to arrive Friday to coordinate the repatriation of the family’s remains.

Eyewitness Accounts Detail Mid-Air Breakup

Social media videos captured the horrifying scene as large fragments of the helicopter, including rotor blades, separated from the main body and plummeted into the river on Thursday afternoon. This occurred shortly after the sightseeing flight departed from the Manhattan heliport. Other visuals depicted the submerged, inverted helicopter and emergency vehicles converging in New Jersey as first responders mobilized.

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Weather Conditions and Flight Timeline

The incident occurred against a backdrop of gray skies, light winds, and cold rain in the Hudson River area, which separates Manhattan’s west side from New Jersey and empties into New York Harbor past the Statue of Liberty. Witnesses recounted the alarming moments around 3 PM when the New York Helicopter Tours operated aircraft disintegrated roughly 18 minutes into its flight.

“Sounded Like Gunshots”: Witness Testimony

Dani Horbiak, an eyewitness, described the startling sounds preceding the crash to ABC’s Good Morning America, stating, “I heard very loud sounds, I thought it had to be gunshots, it was that level loud.” Horbiak further added, “When I looked out my window I saw a helicopter falling into pieces. It all happened in seconds.”

Another Witness Describes Aircraft Disintegration

Bruce Wall, another witness, corroborated the account of the helicopter breaking apart while airborne. “I heard some crackling, looked up, and I just see a plane falling apart,” Wall recounted. “The tail broke off and the plane tumbled into the water with the propeller still in the air.”

NTSB Leads Investigation; Air Traffic Control Not Monitoring Flight

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation at the crash site. He clarified that air traffic controllers were not actively monitoring the helicopter at the time of the accident.

Tributes Paid to Victims

Across Spain, tributes honored Agustín Escobar, 49, a high-ranking executive at Siemens Mobility, and his family, who were on a New York City sightseeing excursion. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences on social media platform X, stating, “We have had devastating news about the helicopter accident in the River Hudson. Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, lost their lives along with the pilot. It’s an unimaginable tragedy. I share the pain of the victims’ loved ones in this heartbreaking moment.”

Spain’s Transport Minister, Óscar Puente, also conveyed his sorrow: “Reading with horror that the victims of the awful helicopter accident in the US were Agustín Escobar and his family. I met him over the past year in his capacity at Siemens Spain. He was a charming, hard-working and talented person.”

Siemens and Energy Firm Confirm Employee Deaths

Siemens, the German multinational conglomerate, verified that Agustín Escobar held the position of head of rail infrastructure within their mobility division. “We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustín Escobar and his family lost their lives,” Siemens stated. It was also confirmed that Mercè Camprubí, Escobar’s wife, was employed as a global manager at an energy technology firm.

Business Trip Extended for Family Tragedy

Mayor Fulop further elaborated on the family’s circumstances on X, revealing that Escobar was in New York for professional reasons, with his family joining him for leisure time. Fulop emphasized the fragility of life, writing, “I’m sharing this because life moves quick and we don’t always think about the fact it is unpredictable and extremely fragile… The husband was here for a business trip and the family flew out to extend the trip a couple days in NYC. They were celebrating the mom’s 40th birthday with the tourist helicopter flight.”

Passengers Pronounced Dead at Scene and Hospital

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the majority of the passengers were deceased upon removal from the river. Two individuals were transported to a nearby hospital but succumbed to their injuries shortly after arrival.

Flight Path and Crash Details

Commissioner Tisch detailed the flight path, noting the helicopter’s 3 PM departure from a downtown heliport, its northbound trajectory over the Hudson, southward turn at the George Washington Bridge, and subsequent crash minutes later. The aircraft impacted the water inverted and sank near Lower Manhattan, close to Hoboken, New Jersey, around 3:15 PM.

Aviation Expert Suggests Loss of Control

Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, offered his expert opinion to the AP, positing, “There’s no indication they had any control over the craft. No pilot could have prevented that accident once they lost the lifts. It’s like a rock falling to the ground.”

Past NYC Helicopter Accidents

The recent tragedy underscores the risks associated with helicopter operations in the city, with records indicating at least 38 fatalities in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977. Prior incidents include a 2009 mid-air collision between a plane and a tourist helicopter over the Hudson that killed nine, and a 2018 East River crash of an “open door” charter helicopter that resulted in five deaths.