Pilot warned he ‘needed fuel’

A helicopter crash in the Hudson River has claimed the lives of six people, including a Spanish family of five and the pilot. The tragic incident occurred around 3:15 p.m. ET on April 10, shortly after the chopper took off from Manhattan. The family, consisting of Agustín Escobar, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, were on a sightseeing tour. The pilot had radioed to say they were returning to refuel but never arrived. Michael Roth, owner of New York Helicopter, said the pilot reported he was three minutes away before disappearing. Roth expressed devastation, saying the company had never experienced anything like this in its 30-year history.

Eyewitnesses and video footage suggest the helicopter broke apart mid-air, with the rotors reportedly detaching before impact. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the aircraft lost control before crashing. The Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV had completed nine flights earlier that day. One eyewitness described the sound as a “sonic boom” followed by the helicopter splitting in two. The aircraft flew near landmarks such as Governor’s Island and the Statue of Liberty before the crash near Jersey City. Recovery efforts are ongoing, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragic accident.