On April 10, a tourist sightseeing helicopter crashed into the East River near Manhattan. The crash instantly killed six people, including a family of five visiting from Spain. The helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter, was conducting an aerial tour of New York City when it went down shortly after 3:15 p.m.
At 3 p.m., the single-engine Bell 206 helicopter took off from lower Manhattan on its the short flight to Westchester County. It along the same tour route that the company regularly travels. The half hour copter ride took us on a brief but impressive loop around the Statue of Liberty. Then it ripped northward over the Hudson River, climbing to nearly 1,000 feet before inexplicably inverting and crashing straight down into the river.
Details of the Crash
Eyewitness accounts paint a picture of a terrifying, knock-down drag out scene as helicopter came crashing down. Scott Yae, another witness who saw the crash, described it this way: “It was like, if you can imagine, like an engine just dying. He further elaborated on his experience: “I just turned, I look, and I saw the helicopter crash and splashing into the water.”
The crash occurred just outside the Holland Tunnel, a vital transportation artery that connects Manhattan with New Jersey. The luxury helicopter tour is pricey at an average of $274 per person. Travelers are obsessed with it because it’ll give you stunning aerial views of the city’s most famous monuments. This excursion of leisure and fun took a fatal turn for everyone on board.
The victims were Agustin Escobar, an executive for Siemens, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children. The family had a great time exploring New York City during their vacation. They selected an aerial adventure tour to see the remarkable views of the skyline and the surrounding area from above.
Investigation Underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation after the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating to get to the bottom of why this crash occurred. Preliminary indications suggest that no mayday calls went out from the rotorcraft before its spiraling plunge.
As Cognata looked back on his more than two-decade-long history in Manhattan, he had seen half of these from the doorstep, right along with the major events like 9/11 and others that came in on this tidal wave of misfortune.
While authorities have started recovering wreckage and looking for more evidence to piece together what caused this disastrous event, investigators will interview witnesses.
Community Response
Local residents were deeply shocked and saddened by the incident. Several agreed—with the caveat that while those type of accidents occur in their community—they’re rare, but aerial tours can be dangerous. This profoundly tragic loss of life is felt acutely by community. It raises urgent questions about safety regulations for sightseeing companies doing business in urban environments.
With time as the investigation unfolds, additional information regarding this crash will become available. Families touched by the tragedy have already begun receiving condolences from across the globe. This unfortunate incident is a terrible reminder of just how unforeseen these adventures can truly be. It should encourage us to reflect on how we do better safety in the future.
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