What was meant to be a breathtaking family flight over New York’s skyline ended in unspeakable tragedy.
A sightseeing helicopter plunged into the Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six people aboard—including a family visiting from Spain.
The flight was supposed to be routine: Statue of Liberty, up the Hudson, loop near the George Washington Bridge, and back.
But just 16 minutes in, things went horribly wrong.
What Happened?
Witnesses saw the chopper flip, spiral, and break apart midair.
One bystander described the rotor blades spinning off on their own.
Another said it sounded like an engine just fell out of the sky.
Among the victims: Agustín Escobar, a Siemens Mobility executive, his wife Mercè Camprubí from Siemens Energy, and their three children.
“An unimaginable tragedy,” said Spain’s prime minister.
The chopper’s operator has a history. Two prior safety incidents.
A helicopter once deemed “unairworthy.”
And this model—the Bell 206L-4—has faced multiple FAA directives for critical parts.
The investigation is just beginning.
But here’s the question on everyone’s mind: How does a joyride over Manhattan end in disaster?
As officials comb through maintenance records and weather data, one thing’s clear—something went very wrong in those final minutes.
And six lives, full of promise and purpose, were lost in the silence that followed.
