Overview

• Six people, including a Spanish family of five and the pilot, died when a Bell 206 helicopter crashed into the Hudson River shortly after takeoff from southern Manhattan.
• The victims included Agustín Escobar, CEO of Siemens Spain, his wife, and their three young children, who had arrived in New York earlier that day.
• Eyewitness reports suggest the helicopter lost its rotor before spiraling into the river, though the cause of the crash remains under investigation by the FAA and NTSB.
• The helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Charter, was on a sightseeing tour of landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and had a valid airworthiness certificate.
• This incident reignites concerns over the safety of New York's busy air tourism sector, which has seen multiple fatal accidents in recent decades.