A tragic helicopter crash in New York City’s Hudson River on Thursday claimed the lives of a Siemens executive, his wife, their three young children, and the pilot, law enforcement sources confirmed to ABC News.
Agustín Escobar, head of Siemens’ division in Spain and Southwest Europe, was traveling with his wife, Merce Camprubí Montal, and their children—ages 4, 5, and 11—when the helicopter plunged into the river. The pilot, a 36-year-old operating the New York Helicopters charter, also perished. His identity has not yet been released.
According to Spanish officials, the family was visiting New York City from Barcelona.
Escobar was appointed to his leadership role at Siemens in 2022. In a company press release at the time, then-chairman Miguel Ángel López praised Escobar’s contributions, calling his work “key to Siemens’ success in the field of mobility and transport.”
“With Agustín Escobar, we have the best possible successor to lead the company in Spain,” López said.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred at approximately 3:17 p.m. off the coast of River Drive in Hoboken, New Jersey. The helicopter had departed from the Wall Street Heliport just over 15 minutes earlier, and reportedly reached the George Washington Bridge before turning south and going down.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences during a press briefing on Thursday. “Our hearts go out to the family and those on board,” he said.
The aircraft, a Bell 206 helicopter, was on its sixth flight of the day. When rescuers arrived at the scene, it was found upside down in the 50-degree water.
