A vacationer helicopter has damaged aside in midair and crashed into the Hudson River in New York, killing a high Siemens government, his spouse and their three youngsters.
The pilot was additionally mentioned to have died the crash on Thursday, in response to sources.
The Escobar household shortly earlier than the deadly helicopter crash
New York Helicopter Excursions LLC
New York mayor Eric Adams mentioned the flight started at a downtown heliport round 3pm, and the victims had been recovered and faraway from the water.
Here’s what we all know up to now.
Witness Bruce Wall mentioned he noticed the helicopter “falling aside” in midair, and the tail and propeller coming off. The propeller was nonetheless spinning with out the plane because it fell, he mentioned.
Dani Horbiak, a 29-year-old resident of Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey, mentioned she witnessed the crash from her window whereas working from house.
“I seemed out my window proper right here, and I noticed the helicopter falling to items, and I watched a number of items splashed down into the river beneath, and I used to be questioning what occurred,” she instructed Reuters.
Divers helped take away the victims from the water. 4 had been pronounced useless on the scene, whereas two others had been taken to space hospitals, the place they died.
The Bell 206 chopper, operated by New York Helicopter Excursions, departed at about 3pm ET (8pm BST) from a downtown helicopter pad and flew north over the Hudson River, New York.
It turned south when it reached the George Washington Bridge and crashed minutes later, hitting the water the wrong way up and sinking close to Decrease Manhattan about 3.15pm, simply off Hoboken, New Jersey.
First responders stroll alongside Pier 40
AP
The victims included Siemens government Agustin Escobar, his spouse, Mercè Camprubí Montall, a worldwide supervisor at an power expertise firm, and their three youngsters, along with the pilot. The youngsters had been 4, 5 and 11.
Pictures posted on the helicopter firm’s web site confirmed the couple and their youngsters smiling as they boarded simply earlier than the flight took off.
Mr Escobar labored for Siemens for greater than 27 years, most just lately as international CEO for rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, in response to his LinkedIn account.
In late 2022 he briefly turned president and CEO of Siemens Spain. In a put up in regards to the place, he thanked his household: “My limitless supply of power and happiness, for his or her unconditional assist, love … and persistence”.
Escobar repeatedly posted in regards to the significance of sustainability within the rail business and infrequently travelled internationally for work, together with journeying to India and the UK prior to now month.
He additionally was vice-president of the German Chamber of Commerce for Spain from 2023.
Ms Montal labored in Barcelona, Spain, for power expertise firm Siemens Vitality for about seven years, together with as its international commercialisation supervisor and as a digitalisation supervisor, in response to her LinkedIn account.
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams
AP
What have officers mentioned?
The mayor of New York, Eric Adams, confirmed the preliminary particulars of the incident.
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy mentioned the tour helicopter was in a Particular Flight Guidelines Space established in New York, which implies no air visitors management providers had been being offered when it crashed.
The Federal Aviation Administration recognized the helicopter as a Bell 206, a mannequin extensively utilized in business and authorities aviation, together with by sightseeing firms, TV information stations and police. It was initially developed for the US Military earlier than being tailored for different makes use of. 1000’s have been manufactured through the years.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board has mentioned it will examine.
New York Helicopter Excursions, which gives sightseeing flights from $114 per individual on its web site, didn’t reply instantly to a request for remark in regards to the crash.
Donald Trump wrote on his Fact Social community: “Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and his proficient employees are on it. Bulletins as to precisely what happened, and the way, might be made shortly!”
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