Overview

• The crash involved a Bell 206 helicopter operated by New York Helicopter Tours, killing all six aboard, including Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, and their three children from Spain.
• Eyewitnesses and video footage indicate the helicopter broke apart midair, with the tail and rotor blades detaching before it plunged into the river upside down.
• Rescue teams from the NYPD and FDNY recovered all six victims, with four pronounced dead at the scene and two succumbing to injuries at the hospital.
• The FAA and NTSB have launched an investigation, with early indications pointing to a catastrophic mechanical failure as the likely cause of the crash.
• The incident has reignited safety concerns over tourist helicopter operations in New York City, which has a history of high-profile aviation accidents.