Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
A helicopter crash into the Hudson River in New York resulted in six fatalities on Thursday, with reports indicating the pilot radioed base stating he “needed fuel” just prior to the incident. The aircraft plunged into the water near Jersey City at approximately 3:15 PM ET, claiming the lives of the pilot and a family of tourists. The family of five, visitors from Barcelona who had arrived earlier that day, included parents Agustín Escobar and Merce Camprubi Montal, along with their three young children. They were reportedly on a sightseeing helicopter tour when the fatal crash occurred. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene within 20 minutes of the helicopter’s departure from a downtown Manhattan Skyport.
Pilot’s Last Communication and Owner’s Reaction
Pilot Reported Fuel Need
Michael Roth, 71, the owner of the helicopter, informed The Telegraph that the pilot, whose identity remains unconfirmed, had contacted the base via radio. The pilot indicated their intention to return to the helipad; however, they never reached their destination.
- “He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth stated.
Company Devastated by Tragedy
Roth expressed the profound shock and grief experienced by himself and his company following the incident:
- “We’re all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying,” he conveyed.
- “I got a call from my manager and my downtown heliport and she said she heard there was a crash, and then my phone blew up from everybody. The death of the child of any human being, is a monumental disaster.”
Investigation Underway into Hudson River Helicopter Crash
Owner Puzzled by Cause
Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Roth admitted he was “baffled” regarding the cause of the disastrous event.
- “The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,” Roth commented, noting his extensive 30-year experience in the aviation industry and the unprecedented nature of this incident.
NYPD Commissioner on Aircraft Malfunction
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch disclosed in a press briefing that the aircraft involved, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter (FAA registration N216MH), “lost control and hit the water.”
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