Helicopter crashes in NYC's Hudson River, claiming six lives

A Siemens Mobility executive, his wife and three children were among six killed in a New York helicopter crash.

A top Siemens executive, his wife and three children were among six people killed when a sightseeing helicopter plunged into New York City’s Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, authorities confirmed.

Agustin Escobar, the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, and his family were killed alongside the pilot after their tourist helicopter crashed into the river near Lower Manhattan. The victims had arrived from Barcelona earlier in the day, law enforcement sources said.

Escobar’s wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, was identified as a global commercialisation manager at Siemens Energy, based in Barcelona. Their three children were all believed to be of middle school age or younger.

Photos on the website of New York Helicopter Tours showed the family smiling and posing in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter shortly before take-off.

The helicopter broke apart midair and crashed into the river around 3:15 p.m. near the Tribeca neighbourhood. Four passengers were declared dead at the scene, while two—including Escobar—died later in hospital. The pilot’s identity has not been released.

Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that all six victims were recovered from the water and pronounced dead. The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Video footage and eyewitness accounts described a “plummeting drop” as the helicopter crashed upside down into the river. Debris was later pulled from the water by emergency personnel.

Escobar had over 25 years of international leadership experience across Europe, the United States and South America. He was appointed to the global Siemens role in 2024 after previously serving as CEO of Siemens Spain.

“He was a loyal friend, someone you could really count on,” said former colleague Juan Ignacio Diaz. “He loved his wife and kids so much — they were everything to him.”

Diaz added, “He was kind, steady, and always there when you needed him. I’m going to miss him and his family. I love you, my friend.”

The Bell 206 helicopter model involved in the crash is widely used in tourism, media and law enforcement. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

The incident follows a string of fatal aviation accidents in the United States in recent months, adding to concerns over safety in civilian air operations.