The joy of a family vacation turned to heartbreak on Thursday afternoon when a helicopter carrying a family of five from Barcelona, Spain, and their pilot plunged into the Hudson River, claiming all six lives. The family, led by Agustín Escobar and Mercè Camprubí Montal, had come to New York City to celebrate their daughter Mercè’s ninth birthday with a special sightseeing tour above Manhattan’s iconic skyline. Instead, just 16 minutes after takeoff, their journey ended in a catastrophic crash that left witnesses stunned and a city grappling with grief.
Agustín Escobar, 49, was a respected executive, serving as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, a role that had recently taken him to Berlin after years of leadership in Spain and Latin America. His wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, 45, was a accomplished professional in her own right, working as a Global Commercialization Manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona. Their three children—Agustín, 10; Mercè, 8; and Víctor, 4—were described by friends as bright and full of life, eagerly anticipating their adventure in New York. The family had chosen a helicopter tour with New York Helicopter Tours to see landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Central Park from the air, a birthday surprise for young Mercè. Photographs taken before the flight captured the family’s excitement, smiles wide as they stood in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter, unaware of the tragedy to come.
The helicopter departed from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 p.m., climbing into a sky dotted with light rain but otherwise calm. According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, the pilot, a 36-year-old man whose identity has not been publicly released, radioed at around 3:15 p.m. that the aircraft was low on fuel and returning to refuel. Moments later, witnesses along the Hudson River near Pier 40 reported a horrifying scene. A loud “boom” echoed through the air, followed by the sight of the helicopter’s main rotor blades detaching. The aircraft flipped upside down, spiraling uncontrollably before crashing into the chilly waters below with a force that sent waves rippling across the river.
Emergency responders, including NYPD divers and FDNY rescue teams, raced to the scene within minutes. Three victims were pulled from the wreckage in traumatic arrest, while four were pronounced dead at the site. Two others were rushed to nearby hospitals, but despite desperate efforts, they could not be saved. By Thursday evening, the main body of the helicopter was hoisted from the river, its mangled frame a stark reminder of the violence of the crash. Dive operations continued into Friday to recover remaining debris, as investigators worked to piece together what went wrong.
Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, spoke with raw emotion about the loss. As a father and grandfather, he said the tragedy hit him deeply. He noted that in his three decades in the industry, he had never witnessed anything like the footage of the crash, which showed the helicopter plummeting without its rotor blades. Roth speculated that a bird strike or mechanical failure might be to blame, but he emphasized that only a thorough investigation would provide answers. The pilot’s final transmission, he confirmed, indicated a routine intent to refuel, offering no hint of the disaster that followed seconds later.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have taken charge of the investigation, focusing on the helicopter’s maintenance records, the pilot’s actions, and potential environmental factors. The Bell 206L-4, a model widely used for sightseeing, police work, and news reporting, has a long history but has faced scrutiny in recent years. Past incidents involving similar helicopters have raised questions about tail rotor reliability and blade delamination, though it remains unclear whether these issues played a role in Thursday’s crash. Investigators are also examining whether the crowded airspace over Manhattan, where sightseeing helicopters share low-altitude routes, contributed to the incident.
For the Escobar-Camprubí family, the loss resonates far beyond New York. In Barcelona, where they were based, tributes poured in from colleagues, friends, and community leaders. Escobar was remembered as a visionary leader whose work modernized rail systems worldwide, while Camprubí Montal was celebrated for her intellect and warmth. Her family’s deep ties to FC Barcelona, with her grandfather and great-grandfather having served as presidents of the club, added a layer of poignancy to the city’s mourning. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the crash “an unimaginable tragedy,” echoing the sentiments of a nation stunned by the loss of a family in its prime.
The crash has reignited long-standing concerns about the safety of helicopter tours in New York City. Manhattan’s heliports serve tens of thousands of tourists annually, offering breathtaking views but operating in a complex airspace with minimal air traffic control oversight. Previous accidents, including a 2018 crash in the East River that killed five passengers, have prompted calls for stricter regulations, from enhanced maintenance standards to limits on flight paths over densely populated areas. As the investigation unfolds, these debates are likely to intensify, with advocates urging reforms to prevent future tragedies.
For now, the focus remains on the lives lost—a family whose trip to celebrate a child’s birthday became a moment of profound sorrow. The images of their final moments, smiling together before boarding, linger as a testament to their love and the fragility of life. As New York and Barcelona mourn, the search for answers continues, with the hope that clarity will bring some measure of closure to a wound that cuts deep across continents.