A helicopter crash left a Siemens executive, his family, and their pilot dead

Six people died after a chopper fell into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon.

The event occurred about 3:17 p.m. near the Holland Tunnel ventilation shaft in Jersey City, close to River Drive South and Newport Parkway, and near the Water's Soul artwork.

The chopper carried six passengers, including three children and their parents, both of whom worked for Siemens, a German global technology firm. It took off from a Manhattan heliport and flew over the Statue of Liberty, then north down the Hudson to the George Washington Bridge before heading south.

The fatalities include 49-year-old Agustín Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop's social media posts, the family was traveling from Spain to celebrate Camprubí's 40th birthday.

Escobar was a top executive at Siemens, the German technology company, where he was the CEO of rail infrastructure for the Siemens Mobility Division. He previously served as the CEO and president of Siemens Spain, according to a business release.

"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," Christoph Erhard, head of corporate media relations for Siemens, said in a statement.

Camprubí is from a well-known athletic family in Spain, in addition to her international corporate career. Camprubí's grandpa and great-grandfather were both presidents of FC Barcelona, a globally recognized soccer club.

Witnesses said the chopper flipped and spiraled before falling upside down on the New Jersey beach, sending debris across the water.

At 2:59 p.m., the helicopter took off from the Wall Street heliport as part of a tourist excursion to see the sights of Manhattan. Officials say it lost control after turning at the George Washington Bridge and moving down the New Jersey shoreline about 3 p.m.

A video shows the rotor blades detaching from the helicopter and soaring through the air. “The videotape in this case is very dramatic and very important to the investigation,” former National Transportation Safety Board managing director Peter Goelz told.

Six people were rescued from the water by first responders from the NYPD and the NYC Fire Department. Tisch said four people were pronounced dead at the site, and two others died from their injuries shortly afterward. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop told X that two toddlers were rushed to Jersey City Medical Center and later confirmed deceased.

The main fuselage of the airplane was recovered from the river Thursday evening, and diving operations resumed Friday, according to WCBS.

Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, told The Telegraph that the pilot had requested fuel before to the disaster.

“He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told the paper, adding, “We’re all devastated.”

President Donald Trump described the incident as "terrible" in a Truth Social post Thursday night. "God bless the families and friends of the victims," according to him.

The National Transportation Safety Board inquiry will look into the pilot, the wreckage of the helicopter, and if the passengers had any video footage on board, as well as whether there were any birds or high winds in the vicinity at the time of the incident, Guzzetti stated.