The day started with love and family festivities together with views across New York City skies but transformed into anguish when a helicopter transporting six people that included three kids suffered an airborne failure before hitting the Hudson River.
The distressing radio communication exchanged between the pilot immediately before the crash has recently been published which intensified the public’s reaction to the tragic accident.
New York Helicopter Tours operated the Bell 206 sightseeing aircraft which departed from Wall Street Heliport during afternoon hours on Thursday. Airlines operated the scenic loop around the Statue of Liberty and Hudson River region which provided Manhattan cityscape views to numerous tourists.
A family from Spain with top executive Agustín Escobar from Siemens Mobility and his children aged 11, 5, and 4 and his wife Merce Camprubi Montal traveled through the city as visitors.
A helicopter accident struck the city to become its worst accident in years when it quickly transformed what should have been a memorable birthday event.
The aircraft experienced its tragic incident when it reached only 16 minutes into its flight path.
Witnesses reported hearing a deafening “sonic boom” followed by the sight of the helicopter spiraling downwards. Several accounts described the aircraft “splitting in half” mid-flight, with rotor blades visibly separating from the fuselage. The river received separate parts of the helicopter while bystanders recorded this collapse through video footage.
Lesly Camacho who works at the riverside restaurant and witnessed the event stated that the helicopter was spinning rapidly at that moment. The aircraft entered the water with immense force when it descended through thick smoke.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch released confirmation that four shuttle passengers d*ed on the scene with two others being hospital-transported to their fatal demise shortly after treatment began.
Sean Johnson served as the pilot of the crashed aircraft and he displayed his experience as a Navy SEAL veteran and veteran pilot while navigating the doomed aircraft.
He had recently transferred to New York to persue his aviation career. Family members eventually confirmed that Johnson was at the controls of the aircraft following initial official secrecy about his identity.
In his final moments, Johnson issued a distress call to his company stating, “He was landing and needed fuel,” according to Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours. According to Roth the helicopter trip which should have taken three minutes to complete lasted for twenty minutes before Johnson failed to appear.
A necessary fuel deficit under investigation by investigators could have produced a major mechanical malfunctions that led rotor blades to strike the tail boom and split the aircraft.
Aviation expert and lawyer Justin Green noted that based on the crash footage, the loss of lift appeared “instant,” suggesting no pilot could have regained control after the failure.
Divers conducted recovery efforts the following morning to recover helicopter wreckage that remained hidden under the river waters near Jersey City under National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) direct supervision.
The photographs from the disaster site depict emergency personnel and cranes using their efforts to extract damaged wreckage while heavy rain fell under dreary skies.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Siemens issued heartfelt condolences, calling the loss “unimaginable.” Eric Adams along with his other officials expressed their heartfelt sympathy to family members of the victims. All six victims were recovered from the river but doctors declared their deaths while they were under water.
The birthday flight meant to honor Merce Camprubi Montal’s 40th birthday turned into the world’s foremost tragic news for all tragic reasons.
The Escobars traveled to New York alongside Agustín Escobar for business purposes while they sought to build lasting memories. During this tragic moment humanity expresses sorrow for the bereaved relatives.
A questioning atmosphere surrounds the inquiry regarding how this traditional tour escalated into fatal disaster as well as whether fuel safety protocols might have prevented the accident. Through his final transmission the pilot left a haunting reminder about the unpredictability in airspace.
Featured Image Credit: (Christopher Sadowski)(New York Helicopter Tours LLC)(X)
