A sightseeing helicopter crash into the Hudson River on Thursday has claimed the lives of six people, including three children, in what officials are calling a "heartbreaking and tragic" incident.
The victims — the pilot and a family visiting from Spain — were aboard a Bell 206 helicopter that took off from Manhattan’s downtown Skyport around 3 p.m. According to police, the aircraft lost control and plummeted into the river near a Hoboken pier after circling the George Washington Bridge.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the fatalities at a press briefing. "At this time, all six victims have been removed from the water. And sadly, all six victims have been pronounced deceased," he said.
Two of the passengers were initially transported to nearby hospitals with critical injuries, but both later died.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said divers from the NYPD and FDNY conducted the urgent recovery effort. "NYPD divers pulled four people from the crash site, and FDNY divers recovered an additional two. Immediate lifesaving efforts were made on the rescue boats and pier, but sadly, none of the victims survived."
Though authorities have not officially released the names of the victims, U.S. media outlets have identified one of the deceased as Agustin Escobar, a Spanish executive with Siemens, the global technology firm.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene. Fashion designer Belle Angel, who was nearby at the time, told AFP, “It looked like the rotor blade shattered in the sky. The helicopter then spiraled down and crashed into the water.”
Footage showed the aircraft’s skids protruding from the river, surrounded by rescue vessels. Weather conditions at the time were reported as gusty, with low visibility under thick cloud cover, possibly contributing to the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the aircraft was a Bell 206, operated by New York Helicopter. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will jointly lead the investigation.
Former President Donald Trump reacted to the crash on Truth Social, describing it as “terrible,” and extended his condolences to the victims' families.
The crash site lies along a busy commercial waterway and evokes memories of the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” where all 155 passengers aboard a US Airways jet survived an emergency water landing. However, this incident ended in tragedy.
Brooklyn Borough President Mark Levine highlighted the dangers of air traffic over the city, noting that New York has seen approximately 30 helicopter crashes since 1980. He called for stricter regulations to prevent future disasters.
As investigators begin to piece together the events leading up to the crash, the city mourns another devastating loss above its skyline.