It was supposed to be a short, scenic flight — a birthday celebration high above New York City. Instead, it became a harrowing descent that would claim six lives and put an entire tour company under scrutiny.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the fatalities. Three adults and three children were on board. Among them was a family of five visiting from Spain and the pilot. All six bodies have since been recovered. “Our hearts go out to the family of those who were on board,” Adams said in a statement.
A Celebration Turned Tragic
What was meant to be a joyful family celebration on April 10 ended in heartbreak over the Hudson. Agustín Escobar, 49, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children — two sons, aged 4 and 11, and a daughter who was to turn 9 on April 11 — were all on board the helicopter.
The tour was intended to cap off a festive visit with views over Manhattan. But just minutes into the flight, tragedy struck.
At around 3:15 p.m., the helicopter reportedly broke apart midair and fell into the Hudson. Four passengers died on impact. Two others were taken to the hospital but could not be saved.
Images captured just before the flight show the family smiling, unaware of what was to come. Published on the New York Helicopter Tours website, the photos depict the family strapped in and ready for their sightseeing tour, a moment of joy now etched in memory.
At a news conference on Saturday, Joan Camprubí, Mercè’s brother, spoke on behalf of the grieving family. “They left together,” he said. “They left without suffering, and they left with a smile on their faces. That’s important for us as a family.”
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop reflected on the loss in a message posted to social media, writing, “Life moves quick… it is unpredictable and extremely fragile.” He explained that the trip had been extended to include a few extra days in New York, turning a business visit into a family getaway.
Final Call and Frantic Moments
In the moments before the crash, the helicopter’s pilot issued a chilling call for help. Michael Roth, the aircraft’s owner, told The Telegraph that the pilot had reported he was preparing to land and was low on fuel.
Roth said it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he still hadn’t landed. What followed was a frantic search.
The aircraft, a Bell 206 L-4 helicopter, had already completed seven tour flights that Thursday. The ill-fated flight was its eighth. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later revealed that the helicopter was not fitted with a flight data recorder.
No cockpit voice recordings or onboard camera footage were recovered either. Without those key instruments, the exact chain of events leading to the crash may remain unclear.
A helicopter is seen floating after it crashed into the Hudson River near lower Manhattan, on April 10, 2025 in New York | Source: Getty Images
Investigators Focus on Wreckage
Recovery teams continued to pull mangled pieces of the helicopter from the Hudson River over the weekend as federal investigators began the painstaking task of determining what went wrong.
Landing skids float in the water near the crash site of a helicopter in the Hudson River on April 10, 2025 in Jersey City, New Jersey. | Source: Getty Images
Once collected, many of the parts will be sent to NTSB laboratories in Washington, D.C., for further analysis. The agency also confirmed that the last major inspection of the Bell 206 L-4 occurred on March 1, just weeks before the crash.
As the wreckage is examined and more details emerge, officials hope to reconstruct the final moments of the flight and understand how a routine sightseeing tour turned into a fatal disaster.
The helicopter crash that stunned the Hudson River shoreline claimed the lives of six individuals—each with a story, each with a future that ended far too soon.
The Spanish family had just arrived in New York. They had flown in from Barcelona earlier that same day, looking forward to a brief vacation that would blend celebration with sightseeing.
His wife was also an accomplished professional, per her LinkedIn profile. She served as global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona and was reportedly related to two former FC Barcelona presidents.
Following the tragic incident, tributes poured in from colleagues and corporate leaders. Siemens CEO Roland Busch shared his condolences on X, writing:
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend, Agustin Escobar, and his beloved family… Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Agustin’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. We will miss him and his family immensely.”
The pilot, who also perished in the crash, was identified as Sean Johnson, a 36-year-old Navy veteran who had only recently moved to New York City to pursue his aviation career. According to his Facebook profile, Johnson had flown in Chicago prior to arriving in the Northeast.
Just two weeks before the crash, he had posted a video of himself flying a Bell 206 helicopter over Lower Manhattan — the same model he piloted during Thursday’s fatal flight.
His wife, Kathryn Johnson, told reporters she was still coming to terms with his death. Though they had been separated, the two remained close. “It’s just hard right now,” she said, describing the moment she learned of the crash from one of his former colleagues.
Friends and former Navy shipmates remembered Johnson as a man of resolve and humility. Remi Adeleke, a filmmaker and writer who served with him, wrote:
“Sean came from very humble beginnings but he never let that define or limit him… He had a quiet determination, a spirit of resilience, and a heart that always looked out for others.”
The crash cut short a dream for Johnson and extinguished a family’s joyous visit before it could truly begin.
New York Helicopter Ordered to Cease Operations
In the wake of the fatal helicopter crash, the company behind the sightseeing flight has been ordered to halt operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Monday that New York Helicopter must immediately cease all flights. The decision follows internal conflict within the company that raised red flags about safety management.
According to a letter from the FAA’s Chief Counsel, Jason Costello, the company’s Director of Operations, had voluntarily agreed to suspend flights until the investigation concluded. Costello reportedly made the decision on a Sunday call and confirmed it in writing.
A scene where the helicopter crashed on the Hudson River on April 10, 2025 in Hoboken, New Jersey. | Source: Getty Images
But minutes later, New York Helicopter CEO Roth dismissed Costello, claiming he lacked the authority to suspend operations.
“The immediate firing of the Director of Operations raises serious safety concerns,” the FAA said, suggesting the termination appeared retaliatory. The agency cited this as a key reason behind its decision to suspend the air carrier certificate.
A helicopter floats after crashing into the Hudson River near lower Manhattan on April 10, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
As investigations continue, the spotlight has shifted from what happened in the air to who was responsible on the ground. For now, the Hudson River tragedy leaves behind grieving families and unanswered questions.
