A sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River near Manhattan on Thursday, killing all six on board — a Spanish family of five and the pilot. The victims included Agustín Escobar, a Siemens Mobility executive, his wife, and their three young children, who were reportedly celebrating a birthday.
Witnesses described the aircraft spinning and smoking before hitting the water near Jersey City. Officials said four people died at the scene; two died later at the hospital. The helicopter, a Bell 206, had taken off from Wall Street Heliport and crashed just 16 minutes into the flight.
The pilot, whose name hasn’t been released, reported low fuel shortly before the crash. His last communication said he was three minutes from landing, but the aircraft never made it.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
