Spanish household of 5, pilot killed in NYC helicopter crash
A household of 5 taking a flight over New York Metropolis and their pilot had been killed after their helicopter crashed into the Hudson river.
The Spanish government who was killed alongside along with his household Thursday afternoon in a helicopter crash in New York Metropolis was on a trip celebrating his spouse’s birthday, in accordance with officers.
Agustín Escobar, a Siemens government, was joined by his spouse and their three younger youngsters for a day sightseeing tour of New York Metropolis when the helicopter they had been aboard crashed the other way up into the Hudson River. Pilot Seankese Johnson was additionally killed within the crash.
Escobar’s firm confirmed that he was the sufferer within the crash, which occurred when the plane plummeted into the river separating Manhattan from New Jersey.
“We’re deeply saddened by the lack of our colleague and buddy, Agustin Escobar, and his beloved household,” Siemens CEO Roland Busch stated in a social media submit on X.
This is what we all know up to now concerning the Escobars and their fateful journey to New York Metropolis:
The helicopter was touring New York Metropolis when it fell out of the sky shortly after 3:15 p.m. Thursday and crashed into the Hudson River, New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams stated throughout a information convention. The helicopter was recognized as a single-engine Bell 206 helicopter operated by sightseeing firm New York Helicopter.
The flight path the helicopter was on is a well-liked sightseeing route round New York Metropolis. The household took the tour whereas visiting from Spain, Adams stated.
Adams stated all 5 family members – two adults and three youngsters – and a pilot died. 4 had been pronounced useless on the scene and two died at hospitals.
Jersey Metropolis Mayor Steven Fulop stated on X Friday morning that the daddy within the Spanish household was within the U.S. for a enterprise journey earlier than his household flew out to spend a number of days in New York Metropolis. The household was celebrating the spouse and mom’s fortieth birthday, he added.
Although crews had already pulled the principle physique of the helicopter from the river, diving operations had been anticipated to proceed Friday morning to get well remaining items of the wreckage.
Escobar was CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, the prepare transportation arm of the Germany-based expertise firm Siemens, the corporate has confirmed.
Relations named his spouse to a number of shops as Mercè Camprubí Montal, together with the New York Instances and ABC Information. Their youngsters had been all beneath the age of 11, Fulop stated in his submit on X.
Escobar, 49, was born in Puertollano, a small metropolis in central Spain, Emiliano García-Web page, the area’s chief, stated on social media. García-Web page added that the area had in 2023 celebrated him as a “favourite son.”
Earlier than taking his present position, Escobar was named in 2022 because the chief government of Siemens Spain, in accordance with a press launch from the expertise conglomerate. His predecessor, Miguel Ángel López had excessive reward for Escobar, calling his work “key” to the corporate’s success.
Escobar additionally beforehand labored for the expertise big in america and Brazil, in accordance with his LinkedIn profile.
Camprubí’s LinkedIn profile exhibits she was an government with Siemens Vitality, a separate firm.
Carlos Prieto, a authorities official, instructed reporters in Spain that the household’s stays can be introduced again as soon as a New York decide granted permission to Spanish officers.
Fulop additional added {that a} brother-in-law of the household was because of fly in Friday morning as officers labored with the medical expert to expedite the discharge of the our bodies again to Spain.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, referred to as the incident “an unimaginable tragedy” in a submit on X.
“I share within the grief of the victims’ family members at this heartbreaking time,” he stated.
Pilot Seankese Johnson had solely simply moved to New York Metropolis, in accordance with a Fb profile. He was from Chicago.
The 36-year-old’s profile photograph dated to March 28 exhibits him flying by One World Commerce Heart. Earlier pictures on the general public web page present him flying by the Willis Tower in his native metropolis.
Johnson was a Navy veteran, in accordance with his Fb profile.
Nationwide Transportation Security Board Chair Jennifer Homendy instructed reporters on Friday that Johnson had collected a whole lot of hours of flight time.
He held a business pilot certificates, and as of March had 788 hours of complete flight time, she stated.
Officers don’t but understand how a lot expertise he had aboard the Bell helicopter, which is the mannequin that tumbled into the Hudson River on April 11.
The reason for the crash is beneath investigation by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board, together with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Authorities imagine the helicopter fell into the water “inverted.” Video of the crash seems to indicate the helicopter plummeting into the water, adopted by a indifferent helicopter blade seconds later.
The helicopter’s touchdown gear may very well be seen rising from the water as rescue crews swarmed the realm afterward.
When the helicopter crashed, it was cloudy with winds round 10 to fifteen mph with gusts as much as 25 mph, in accordance with AccuWeather.
The helicopter was within the Particular Flight Guidelines Space in New York, the place no air site visitors management companies are offered, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated in a Thursday submit on X.
Contributing: Donovan Slack, Trevor Hughes, Eduardo Cuevas, Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY