On Thursday afternoon, on April 10, a helicopter carrying tourists crashed into the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. A total of six people, including the pilot, were pronounced dead as a result of the tragedy. The family in the helicopter at the time of the crash was a family of five visiting from Spain. The helicopter was owned and operated by the company New York Helicopters.
Helicopter Crash Thursday Horrifies Witnesses
The helicopter crash on Thursday was observed by several witnesses, who were horrified by the scene. On board were 5 tourists from Spain; the victims were pilot Seankese Carrell Johnson and passengers Agustín Escobar, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children, ages 4, 9, and 11. Escobar worked for Siemens and was in the city to celebrate his wife’s 40th birthday. The daughter, age 9, was also celebrating a birthday that day. When rescue crews reached the helicopter, four passengers were dead, and the other died upon transportation to the local hospital. The pilot was a Navy veteran.
Siemens issued a statement overnight, stating, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.” Both New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop also released statements, sharing their condolences for the victims. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, shared a post on social media, which translated to, “I share in the grief of the victims’ loved ones at this heartbreaking time.”
Witnesses state that the helicopter took off from Downtown Manhattan Heliport around 3 PM and followed the expected route. A little before 3:30 PM, the helicopter disappeared from the radar. There is a video that shows that parts of the helicopter broke off mid-flight before plummeting into the river. Witnesses shared the experience, watching the helicopter fall out of the sky, and others observed the helicopter splitting into two. One described the sound as similar to a “sonic boom”.
The helicopter broke into multiple parts while in flight, and then all the parts crashed into the river below. As of Thursday, the main body of the helicopter had been recovered, but other essential parts and pieces that had broken off had not yet been found. Witnesses describe the entire ordeal as “terrifying”.
Safety Of Vehicles Comes Into Question
The CEO of New York Helicopter, Michael Roth, responded to the tragedy. “I don’t know anything how this went down. The only thing I can tell you, we are devastated; my wife hasn’t stopped crying since this afternoon. We’re a small company. I’m a father and a grandfather, and we’re just devastated.” There were also two previous incidents with company helicopters in 2013 and 2015 that had to make emergency landings, but no one was injured in either instance.
The exact cause of the helicopter crash is unclear at this time. At this time, the FAA has ordered all activity around the area of the helicopter crash on the Hudson River to be stopped until further notice. According to a post on X Thursday night from the National Transportation Safety Board, “The NTSB is launching a go-team to investigate Thursday’s crash of a Bell 206 L-4 helicopter near Jersey City, New Jersey. Chairman Jennifer Homendy will serve as spokesperson on scene. The team is expected to arrive tonight.”
Both the model of the helicopter, which has a history of defects, and the policies of helicopter travel in New York are being heavily criticized. “I am calling for a serious reevaluation of current policies and am urging the city to consider an immediate moratorium on non-essential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports while investigations are ongoing,” New York City Councilwoman Amanda Farías stated on Friday.
There have recently been several aircraft-related crashes under the new Presidential Administration that have caused multiple deaths. Each case is being investigated, and many policies are being looked at to improve safety. The goal is to improve air travel by all modes and minimize the chance for these tragedies to occur. As more information comes out about the helicopter crash in New Jersey, including the cause of the crash, the report will be updated.
