THE president of Siemens’ Spanish branch Agustín Escobar, and his family have been identified as five of the six victims of the Hudson chopper crash.
Mr Escobar, along with his wife and three kids, tragically died after the tourist helicopter broke apart mid-air and crashed into icy cold water.
They died along with the pilot of the helicopter.
Terrifying videos show the chopper completely upside down and bubbling underneath the 50-degree water’s surface after the wreck.
The cause of the wreck hasn’t been confirmed, but eyewitness video showed the chopper shatter into pieces mid-air before it fell into the waters near the Holland Tunnel in New Jersey.
Fire crews first heard reports of the crash at 3:17 pm and rushed to the site to search for survivors on land and in the water, FDNY told The U.S. Sun.
Footage taken from the shore showed the bottom of the helicopter partially sticking out of the water as New York Police Department boats cruised to the wreck.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams has spoken at a press conference to give updates on the crash.
He said that “three adults and three children”, including the pilot, were on board the helicopter that took off from the Downtown Skyport about 3pm.
Adams said that initial information suggested the pilot and the family were visiting from Spain.
He continued: “All six victims have been removed from the water, and sadly, all six victims have been pronounced deceased.”
NYPD Comissioner Jessica Tisch said “the aircraft lost control” and crashed into the river.
A shaken witness described hearing a loud “snap” before he turned around and watched the tragedy unfold.
“I looked over […] and I could see a helicopter falling on its side and splash into the water,” he told WABC.
“I didn’t see anyone come out.”
Another witness, Sara Jean Raymond, said she was out training for a half marathon when she saw the crash.
“I was in shock. I tried to call 911, I could not reach anyone,” she told the local outlet.
“They were very fast, though. They were very fast to come here.
“I don’t know what happened, if the people survived or anything, but oh my God, you don’t see that very often.”
Eric Campoverde, who was also near the crash scene, said the entire incident lasted mere seconds.
“It was going fast. It fell in seconds, like the motor lost power. It took seconds to fall from the sky,” he told the New York Post.
“After the splash, the helicopter was above the water for a slight second, but it submerged very quickly. It was maybe on top of the water for three or four seconds before it went under. It was fast.”
The chopper has been identified as a Bell 206 by the Federal Aviation Administration.
A tour company called New York Helicopter owned and ran the helicopter, its CEO confirmed to Newsday.
Michael Roth said: “I am devastated… But you have to remember: It is a machine. Sometimes machines break.”
Flight data shows the helicopter took off from a Lower Manhattan heliport and then circled around Governor’s Island for a view of the Statue of Liberty.
Then, the chopper traveled up the Manhattan side of the river to the heights before moving back down along the Palisades to Jersey City.
This is a well-traveled tourist path that has dozens of trips a day.
The NYPD has warned that emergency vehicles are flocking the scene, and traffic may be backed up.
The Coast Guard has closed the Hudson River near the crash site.
That means vessels will not be able to pass through that stretch of the water.
According to the NYC emergency management department, “the US Coast Guard has established a safe zone on all navigable waters of the Hudson River one mile north and one mile south of the Holland Tunnel Ventilators.”
Boaters have been urged to find an alternative route until further notice.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/13987840/helicopter-crash-new-york-city-hudson-river/
