Horrifying moment helicopter's rotor blade detaches mid-air before fatal Hudson River crash
What started as a scenic birthday celebration turned into an unimaginable tragedy when a sightseeing helicopter carrying a family of five and their pilot crashed into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon.
The victims have been identified as Agustín Escobar, a 49-year-old Siemens executive from Spain, his wife, and their three children who were reportedly celebrating one of the children's birthdays with the helicopter tour. None of the six people on board survived.
The most chilling aspect of the incident is that multiple witnesses captured the exact moment when disaster struck. Videos circulating online show the helicopter's main rotor blade completely detaching from the aircraft while in flight, sending the helicopter into an uncontrollable spiral.
"The helicopter was a little bit nose down, slightly, and I saw the propeller separating from the helicopter. It kept spinning in the air alone. Nothing was attached to it," witness Sarah Jane Raymond Ryer told local news outlets.
The Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter took off from Manhattan's downtown heliport at 2:59 p.m., following a popular sightseeing route around the Statue of Liberty and northward along the Hudson River. Approximately 16 minutes into the flight, witnesses reported seeing the helicopter appear to "stop midair" before parts began breaking off.
Jersey City resident Ipsitaa Banigrhi described hearing "such a loud sound. It felt like thunder," before seeing "black particles flying" through the air. Multiple 911 calls reported the crash at 3:17 p.m. near Pier A Park in Hoboken, New Jersey.
First responders raced to the scene, but it was already too late. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while two children were transported to Jersey City Medical Center where they later succumbed to their injuries.
What makes this tragedy even more disturbing is the helicopter operator's troubling safety history. New York Helicopter Charter was previously involved in two serious safety incidents investigated by federal authorities.
In 2015, one of their helicopters was forced to land after an inspection revealed what may have been "corrosion removed" from sections of the aircraft and component parts that were "considered unairworthy." In 2013, another of their helicopters was forced to make an emergency water landing near Manhattan after the pilot heard a "bang" followed by an engine warning.
The helicopter involved in Thursday's crash was subject to two recent Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directives. One from May 2023 required testing and possible replacement of tail rotor drive shafts, while another from December 2022 mandated inspection of main rotor blades for "delamination" – layers within the blade separating due to material fatigue or damage.
"The only thing I can tell you is that we are devastated," Michael Roth, the CEO of the company operating the flight, told CNN. "I'm a father, a grandfather and my wife hasn't stopped crying since this afternoon."
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a "go-team" to the site to examine the wreckage and review maintenance records. The helicopter's main fuselage was retrieved from the river Thursday evening, though officials have announced that dive operations will continue Friday.
As investigators work to determine the exact cause of the crash, the tragedy has sparked renewed concerns about the safety of tourist helicopter flights in one of America's busiest airspaces. For the Escobar family, what should have been a joyful celebration became their final moments together—a devastating reminder of how quickly life can change.
Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, expressed his condolences, calling the incident "an unimaginable tragedy." Siemens Mobility, where Escobar served as CEO of Rail Infrastructure, released a statement saying, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.
