The harrowing final remarks of the pilot of the helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River in New York City have come to light.
On Thursday afternoon, a sightseeing helicopter descended rapidly into the Hudson River, situated opposite Manhattan.
Authorities confirmed that all six individuals on board lost their lives, including three children, marking this incident as the most fatal helicopter crash in the city in the past seven years.
The victims have been identified as a Spanish family: Agustín Escobar, the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility; his wife, Mercè Camprubí; and their three children, aged 11, five, and four, who were reportedly celebrating a birthday.
Prior to the tragic event, the family was seen joyfully posing for photographs in front of the helicopter.
The pilot’s identity has not yet been disclosed. Disturbing video footage captures the helicopter spiraling in the air before it crashed into the water near Jersey City, New Jersey, at a high velocity.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise and noted that the aircraft struck the water missing at least one rotor blade.
Lesly Camacho, a restaurant employee along the river, recounted seeing the helicopter spinning wildly before it crashed into the water.
“There was a lot of smoke coming out. It was spinning quite rapidly and landed hard in the water,” she remembered.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that divers retrieved all individuals from the helicopter, which was found upside down in the water.
“Four victims were declared dead at the scene, while two others were transported to local hospitals, where, unfortunately, both succumbed to their injuries,” she reported.
The Bell 206 helicopter was a popular tourist attraction, offering sightseeing tours around New York City.
It had taken off from the Wall Street Heliport and made a close pass by the Statue of Liberty before heading up the Hudson River.
Tragedy struck just 16 minutes into the flight.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, expressed his condolences.The chief executive of the company, Michael Roth, stated that the helicopter was leased from a firm based in Louisiana and expressed uncertainty regarding how the aircraft could disintegrate mid-flight.
Roth confirmed that the helicopter ran out of fuel shortly after takeoff and disclosed the final communication from the pilot.
“The pilot reported that he was preparing to land and required fuel, indicating it would take him approximately three minutes to reach the destination. However, he did not arrive even after 20 minutes,” Roth informed The Telegraph.
Additionally, the chief executive mentioned that he began receiving reports from other pilots flying over the Hudson River who observed the helicopter in an inverted position.
Roth expressed his sorrow, stating, “We are all heartbroken. Every member of our team is in mourning. My wife has been in tears continuously. The loss of a child is an unimaginable tragedy.”
The investigation into the crash is currently being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board.
