A Siemens executive, his wife and their three children died when a tourist helicopter they were in plunged into the Hudson River in New York.
The family of five were on board the helicopter when it is said to have broken apart in mid air at around 3.15pm on Thursday.
Their identities were later revealed as Agustin Escobar, head of Siemens in Spain, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and the couple’s three children aged four, five and 11. The 36-year-old pilot also died.
New York mayor Eric Adams said the flight began at a downtown heliport around 3pm, and the dead, including three children, had been recovered and removed from the water.
The tragedy is the deadliest helicopter crash in New York City since at least 2018, according to the New York Times.
Last picture of Siemens boss and family before helicopter crashed into Hudson River
A haunting picture has emerged of Agustin Escobar and his family before the helicopter ride that left them dead.
A haunting picture of Siemens executive Agustin Escobar and his family has emerged shortly before they took off on the doomed flight.
The tourist flight was said to have lasted less than 18 minutes before the aircraft started “falling apart” in the sky.
New York mayor Eric Adams said the flight began at a downtown heliport around 3pm, and the victims had been recovered and removed from the water.
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New York pilot made final radio call moments before crashing into Hudson River
Police and firefighters work on the site after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near lower Manhattan, on Thursday (10 April) in New York. (Getty)
The pilot who was flying the helicopter which crashed into the Hudson River reportedly made a radio call warning moments before the crash.
Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours which provided the tour, reportedly said the pilot had called in to say that he was landing and he needed fuel but did not arrive.
“We’re all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated,” Roth said.
Timeline of Hudson River helicopter crash
The Bell 206 LongRanger helicopter initally took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2.59pm, before heading on a tour that took it towards the Statue of Liberty, before flying north along the west side of Manhattan up the river to the George Washington Bridge.
It then turned south, flying closer to New Jersey and at around 3.15pm was seen plummeting from the sky and crashing upside-down in the Hudson River.
Tech executive and family named as crash victims
Siemens executive Agustín Escobar was named as one of the victims of the helicopter crash, along with his family. (AP)
In the aftermath of the crash, the victims were named as Agustín Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children.
Escobar was the president and CEO of Siemens in Spain, and his family were on a sightseeing trip after arriving in US, after landing from Barcelona earlier that day for a holiday.
A photo also emerged of the family posing for pictures on a helipad before the incident.
Helicopter seen in Hudson River following crash
New York City Police Department (NYPD) confirmed officers were on the scene after a helicopter crashed in the vicinity of the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, April 10.
Local news reports said at least five people were on board the aircraft and three people were killed, citing officials.
Footage filmed by Luis Hernandez shows the landing skids of the helicopter sticking out of the water and emergency responders on scene on Thursday, as seen from the New Jersey side of the river in Jersey City.
Eyewitnesses describe deadly helicopter crash
Eyewitnesses described the shocking scenes as the helicopter plummeted to the ground.
One witness, who was running along the riverbank, described the crash as sounding like a “sonic boom”, saying: “Literally I just see a helicopter splitting in two with the rotor flying off in the sky. It was going so fast. It just went straight into the water, like nothing came up afterwards.”
