Six people are dead - including a prominent executive and his family - after a Bell 206 helicopter operated by New York Helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Lower Manhattan, close to the West Village, on 10 April.
The helicopter was on a sightseeing tour, taking off from Downtown Manhattan Heliport. It circled landmarks like the Statue of Liberty before heading north along the New Jersey shoreline. Around 3:15 p.m. local time, the aircraft broke apart mid-flight and plunged into the river.
The crash claimed the lives of all six people on board: the pilot and a family of five tourists from Barcelona, Spain. The family included Agustín Escobar, chief executive of Siemens' Spanish division, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, aged 4, 5, and 11. Witnesses described the helicopter spinning uncontrollably before hitting water, and videos showed it overturning as it was submerged.
Emergency responders from New York and New Jersey rushed to the scene, but there were no survivors. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the crash, which remains unclear. Weather conditions at the time included light rain and cloudy skies, but visibility was reportedly good.
This tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about helicopter safety in New York City, where over 30 crashes have occurred since 1980. Advocacy groups like "Stop the Chop" have long called for stricter regulations on non-essential helicopter flights over densely populated areas. The crash serves as a sombre reminder of aerial tours' risks.