A helicopter plunged into the Hudson River on Thursday. Credit: JP Yim / Getty
What began as a joyful birthday trip ended in tragedy when a Bell 206 helicopter from New York Helicopters crashed into the Hudson River at 3:17 PM on April 10.
Heartbreaking photos shared online show an eight-year-old birthday girl smiling in the cockpit just before takeoff, excited for a scenic flight over New York City to celebrate turning nine.
Only 16 minutes into the flight, the helicopter crashed near Pier 40 in Lower Manhattan, killing all six people on board.
The young girl, her four- and five-year-old siblings, and their parents, Agustin Escobar and Merce Camprubi Montal, all died in the crash. The pilot, Navy SEAL veteran Sean Johnson, also lost his life.
According to the Daily Mail, the family had just arrived in New York from Barcelona, Spain. They were also celebrating the mother’s 40th birthday.
Escobar was a senior executive at Siemens Mobility, while his wife, Merce, worked at Siemens Energy in Barcelona as a global commercialization manager.
Juan Ignacio Diaz, a longtime friend and former Siemens colleague, described Escobar as a devoted husband and father.
“They meant everything to him,” Diaz told The New York Post. “He loved his wife and kids so much. He was a loving, fun, and really cool dad. I’ll miss him and his family. I love you, my friend.”
“He was an amazing person—kind, calm, and always dependable,” Diaz added. “Even when things got tough, he stayed strong and helped others feel at ease.”
The helicopter took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 PM, heading north along the Hudson River before turning back near the George Washington Bridge, according to the NYPD.
All six people on board were pulled from the wreckage. Four were pronounced dead at the scene, and the other two died at nearby hospitals.
Michael Roth, the 71-year-old owner of New York Helicopter, told The Telegraph that the pilot had radioed in to say he was returning to the helipad for fuel.
“He said he was landing and needed fuel. It should’ve taken him about three minutes to get back, but 20 minutes passed and he didn’t return,” Roth said. Another pilot later flew over the river and saw the helicopter upside down in the water.
Roth called the crash a devastating loss, saying, “The death of any human being is a monumental disaster.”
Haunting video shows the helicopter spinning out of control in the air, its rotors missing, before crashing into the Hudson River with a loud splash.
The tragic accident has led to an outpouring of grief on social media. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez shared his condolences on X (formerly Twitter), calling the crash “devastating.”
“Five Spaniards from the same family, including three children, and the pilot have lost their lives,” he wrote. “An unimaginable tragedy. I share the pain of the victims’ loved ones during this heartbreaking time.”
The pilot’s wife, Kathryn Johnson, expressed her shock and sadness in a statement to the Gothamist. “I’m at a loss for words. I don’t even know what happened,” she said. “It’s just really hard right now.”
His co-pilot and close friend, Earl Watters, posted a moving tribute on Facebook:
“With a heavy heart I post this… Yes, the pilot in the NY crash was my co-pilot and great friend on Boomer last year, Sean Johnson. The world has lost a truly amazing person and friend. He changed my life for the better. I just want to celebrate how he lived. Always and forever a BOOMER crew member. Godspeed, Amigo.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are now investigating what caused the crash.
