A tragic sightseeing helicopter crash over the Hudson River on Thursday claimed the lives of six people, including a prominent Spanish business executive, his wife, and their three children.
The victims included Agustín Escobar, president and CEO of Siemens Spain and Siemens Mobility Southwest Europe. The pilot, whose identity has not been released, also died in the crash.
Videos circulating on social media captured the moment the Bell 206 helicopter spiraled through the air before plunging into the water near the Jersey City shoreline. A photo released after the incident showed the family of five posing in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV shortly before the flight.
Hudson River Helicopter crash @fox5ny @ABC7 @NBCNewYork @CBSNewYork @njdotcom @News12NJ @CNN @cnnbrk
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Credit: Bruce Wall pic.twitter.com/CVy249wApx
According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the helicopter took off around 3 p.m. from the downtown Manhattan Skyport. It flew south along the city before turning north up the Manhattan shoreline toward the George Washington Bridge. "It then turned back towards the downtown Manhattan heliport, lost control and hit the water near a Hoboken pier," said Commissioner Tisch.
"NYPD divers pulled four people from the crash site, and FDNY divers recovered an additional two. Immediate lifesaving measures were undertaken on the vessels at the scene, as well as the adjoining pier," she added. "Four victims were pronounced dead on scene, and two more were removed to local area hospitals, where, sadly, both succumbed to their injuries."
Escobar and his family had recently arrived in New York from Barcelona for a holiday. The sightseeing trip ended in disaster just moments after takeoff.
Escobar was a seasoned leader with over 25 years of experience in the energy and transportation industries. He earned an industrial engineering degree from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid and had led teams across the U.S., Latin America, and Spain.
He held numerous senior positions within Siemens, including CEO roles in both the Energy Management Division and Infrastructure & Cities Sector in Latin America, and earlier, leadership roles in Spain and North America.
Authorities have not yet released the names of Escobar's wife and children. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
