Overview

• Six people, including Siemens Mobility executive Agustín Escobar and his family, were killed in a tourist helicopter crash in the Hudson River last week.
• The FAA has suspended New York Helicopter Tours' operations and is reviewing the company's license and safety practices following the crash.
• Complicating the investigation, the helicopter lacked a flight recorder, and no video evidence has been recovered to determine the cause of the crash.
• In a separate incident, a small plane crashed in Columbia County, New York, killing six, including former MIT athlete Karenna Groff and her family, with poor visibility cited as a factor.
• The crashes have reignited concerns about aviation safety, with critics alleging that profit-driven shortcuts in tourist aviation compromise passenger safety.