The family of five who tragically lost their lives in the New York helicopter crash has now been identified, following the release of a heartbreaking photo believed to have been taken just moments before the fatal incident.
The image, showing a Spanish family of five—including two adults and three young children—was taken shortly before their scenic tour was due to begin. The family, who resided in Barcelona, was captured smiling outside the helicopter, unaware of the tragedy that would unfold just minutes later on April 10.
Roughly 15 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft malfunctioned. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter break apart mid-air before it crashed into the Hudson River. Disturbing footage captured the moment the chopper spiraled upside down and plunged into the water.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences, stating that his heart is with the victims’ loved ones as authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
The victims were identified by The New York Times as Agustín Escobar, a high-ranking executive at Siemens specializing in rail infrastructure, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, a global manager at an energy technology firm, and their three children, aged four, five, and eleven.
Michael Roth, 71, CEO of the tour company that operated the flight, revealed that the pilot had contacted the base, saying he needed to refuel and was returning to the helipad. However, the helicopter never made it back.
“He said he was landing and needed fuel—it should have only taken him three minutes to return,” Roth told The Telegraph. “But twenty minutes went by, and he never showed up.”
Visibly shaken, Roth added, “We’re all heartbroken. Every person in our company is devastated. My wife hasn’t stopped crying. The loss of a child is an unimaginable tragedy.”
Still trying to come to terms with the event, Roth told The New York Post he couldn’t understand how the accident happened.
“From what I saw in the video, the main rotor blades weren’t even on the helicopter,” he said, adding, “In all my 30 years in the helicopter business, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
He speculated that either a mechanical failure or a bird strike might have caused the rotor blades to fail, but admitted he truly didn’t know.
At the scene, four victims were declared dead. Two others were rescued from the river but later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
