New details have emerged about the tragic helicopter crash that took place Thursday afternoon in the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey.
According to Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours – the company that operated the aircraft – the pilot had radioed in just minutes before the crash to report that he needed fuel.
“[The pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph.
Tragically, all six people on board were killed, including five members of the same family. The victims have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, energy tech manager Mercé Camprubi Montal, and the couple’s three young children, as reported by The Associated Press. The pilot’s identity has not yet been released.
Just moments before takeoff, the family was seen smiling in photos posted on the tour company’s website – a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly things took a turn.
The flight had departed from a Downtown Manhattan heliport around 3 p.m. and was airborne for roughly 18 minutes before the crash occurred.
A bystander video captured the horrifying moment the helicopter’s main rotor appeared to detach mid-flight, sending the aircraft spiraling out of control before it plunged into the icy waters of the Hudson near Jersey City.
Michael Roth told the New York Post, “The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling is that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter.
I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years in this business.” He added that while he couldn’t say for certain, a bird strike or rotor failure might have caused the incident.
Emergency services were alerted around 3:17 p.m., according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Eyewitnesses described the helicopter spinning uncontrollably before hitting the water. Emergency crews from the NYPD and FDNY rushed to the scene.
NYPD divers pulled four victims from the wreckage, while FDNY crews recovered two more. First responders immediately began lifesaving efforts on a nearby pier, but four people were pronounced dead at the scene, and the remaining two died later at local hospitals.
The water temperature at the time was dangerously cold – in the mid-40s Fahrenheit – making survival chances even slimmer.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the family had been visiting from Spain. “It’s just heartbreaking,” Adams said.
“You’re on vacation, you’re with your family, you want to see New York from the sky – and something like this happens. It’s devastating.”
The crash site, located less than a mile from Manhattan and near the Holland Tunnel – one of the busiest crossings between New York and New Jersey – prompted the U.S. Coast Guard to establish a temporary safety zone in the Hudson River, which remained in effect until 10 p.m. Thursday.
Recovery efforts began immediately. The U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers worked alongside local agencies to recover debris and assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation. The helicopter was salvaged hours later.
This is the first major helicopter crash in New York City since 2019, when an aircraft crashed into the roof of a skyscraper, killing the pilot.
Mayor Adams, reflecting on the tragedy, said, “Our hearts go out to the families. It’s almost reminiscent of the plane landing on the Hudson years ago – except this time, we lost lives.
The pain is fresh, and the investigation is ongoing. We keep the victims and their families in our prayers.
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