The pilot of a sightseeing helicopter carrying a Spanish family of five issued a chilling warning just moments before the aircraft plunged into the Hudson River, leaving no survivors.
Shortly before disaster struck, the pilot made a desperate last-minute request, alerting of an urgent issue as the helicopter suddenly broke apart midair and crashed down into the icy waters near New York City. All six individuals onboard, including the pilot, tragically lost their lives.
The incident occurred Thursday at approximately 3:17 p.m., shocking witnesses who reported hearing a loud bang. Horrified bystanders then watched as the small helicopter spiraled downward before slamming into the river.
Among the victims was a family of Spanish tourists: Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive; his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a global manager at an energy technology firm; and their three young children, aged between four and eleven. The heartbreaking loss has sent waves of grief across both sides of the Atlantic, as investigations into the cause of the midair malfunction continue.
The family was on a popular sightseeing route, flying up and down the western edge of Manhattan to admire the Statue of Liberty and the iconic New York City skyline when disaster struck.
Although the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, new details have emerged from Michael Roth, the helicopter’s owner, offering further insight into the moments leading up to the fatal incident.
The pilot’s warning
According to Roth, the pilot made a radio call indicating he was preparing to land and needed fuel. “He called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph.
Additional radio transmissions revealed the harrowing moment when New York City first responders first became aware of the helicopter crash.
On air traffic control audio reviewed by the Associated Press, a pilot with the New York Police Department is heard alerting others: “Be advised, you do have an aircraft down. Holland Tunnel. Please keep your eyes open for anybody in the water.”
Just five minutes later, another voice came over the radio asking, “Hey Finest,” using the NYPD’s call sign, “What’s going on over there by the Holland Tunnel?”
A chilling response quickly followed: “The ship went down,” confirming the worst fears in a grim and somber tone.
