2025 Hudson River helicopter crash
 | This article documents an aviation accident. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (April 2025) |
 N216MH, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 2024. | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 10, 2025 |
| Summary | Crashed into Hudson River after in-flight breakup; under investigation |
| Site | Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, U.S. 40°43′45″N 74°01′37″W / 40.72913175795°N 74.02693710847°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Bell 206 |
| Operator | New York Helicopters |
| Registration | N216MH |
| Flight origin | Downtown Manhattan Heliport, New York, United States |
| Destination | Downtown Manhattan Heliport, New York, United States |
| Occupants | 6 |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Fatalities | 6[1] |
| Survivors | 0 |
On April 10, 2025, a Bell 206 sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River between Newport, Jersey City, New Jersey, and Manhattan, New York City, New York, killing all six occupants.[1] The aircraft was operated by New York Helicopters. In addition to the pilot, a family of five from Spain, including three children, were killed in the crash.
Background
[edit]Aircraft
[edit]The aircraft involved in the incident was a two-bladed Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV that local excursion company New York Helicopter Charter was leasing from Louisiana helicopter company Meridian Helicopters.[2] It was built in 2004 and had an airworthiness certificate issued in 2016 that was good until 2029, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. New York Helicopters had a long history of mechanical failures prior to the accident.[3]
Passengers and crew
[edit]Six people were on board the helicopter. The occupants of the helicopter were a family of five from Barcelona, Spain, consisting of Agustin Escobar, the president of the Spanish branch of the European automation company Siemens, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children—aged 4, 5 and 11 years old—were killed in the crash along with the pilot, aged 36, law enforcement sources told ABC News. There was no information immediately available on the pilot, according to New York City mayor Eric Adams.[4]
Weather
[edit]There were winds of 9 to 12 mph (14 to 19 km/h) coming from the south and southeast, with occasional gusts up to 21 mph (34 km/h), around the time of the crash, according to a weather station. Visibility at the surface was good for up to 10 miles, but it was cloudy as a pressure system moved into the region, bringing light rain to the region in the afternoon and evening.[5]
Accident
[edit]
At 2:59 p.m. the helicopter took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on its sixth flight of the day and traveled along the southern part of Manhattan and circled the Statue of Liberty before it flew up the western side of Manhattan. At 3:08 p.m. EDT, the helicopter turned around near the George Washington Bridge at about 1,000 feet before turning south along the New Jersey shoreline.
About sixteen minutes into the flight at 3:17 p.m. the helicopter experienced an in-flight breakup, causing it to fall down at a 45-degree angle and crash upside-down into the Hudson River near Pier 40 in New York City. The water temperature was 50 °F (10 °C) at the time of the crash.[5] Witnesses described hearing loud noises before seeing the helicopter fall apart mid-air, with debris falling into the river. Emergency responders arrived to find the helicopter submerged. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. All bodies of the victims of the crash were recovered.[6][7] Videos posted to social media depict the forward fuselage, tail boom and main rotor separating mid-air.[8]
Aftermath
[edit]The FAA confirmed it is investigating the crash alongside the NTSB. The NTSB chair and investigators travelled to the site of the crash the night of the accident.[3] The accident was the deadliest helicopter crash in the New York City area since the 2018 New York City helicopter crash that killed five seven years prior.[2] The FAA temporarily prohibited drone pilots from flying near the crash site unless they have specific authorization.[3]
Reactions
[edit]Domestic
[edit]United States president Donald Trump offered condolences to the families and friends of the helicopter crash which he described as terrible in a message on Truth Social. He also said that the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, and his staff were investigating and that "announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly".[5]
New York City mayor Eric Adams said "Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard".[5]
Michael Roth, the CEO of New York Helicopter Charter Inc., said "The only thing I can tell you is that we are devastated" and "I'm a father, a grandfather and my wife hasn’t stopped crying since this afternoon". When asked about the maintenance of the helicopter, Roth said, "It's my director of maintenance who deals with that".[3]
International
[edit]Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez called the incident "an unimaginable tragedy" in a post on Twitter.[3]
See also
[edit]
Media related to N216MH (aircraft) at Wikimedia Commons- 2018 New York City helicopter crash
- 2009 Hudson River mid-air collision
- US Airways Flight 1549
References
[edit]- ^ a b Katersky, Aaron; Margolin, Josh; Shapiro, Emily (April 10, 2025). "Helicopter crash in Hudson River in New York City, all 6 on board killed". ABC News.
- ^ a b "Live Updates: Five Tourists and Pilot Killed When Helicopter Crashes Into Hudson River". The New York Times. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "A Siemens exec, his family and their pilot are dead after helicopter crashes into the Hudson River". CNN. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ "Hudson River helicopter crash live updates: 6 dead after aircraft goes down in New York City". ABC News. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Hudson River helicopter crash live updates: 6 dead after aircraft goes down in New York City". NBC News. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ Sisak, Michael R.; Peltz, Jennifer; Shaffrey, Ted (April 10, 2025). "NYC mayor says family of Spanish tourists died in helicopter crash into Hudson River". AP News. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ "Pilot, family of 5 from Spain killed after helicopter crashes into Hudson River in NYC | LIVE". ABC7 Los Angeles. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ Faguy, Ana (April 10, 2025). "Six dead after helicopter crashes in New York's Hudson River". BBC News. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
External links
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