Witnesses Describe the Moment the Helicopter Crashed Into the Hudson River
ArchiveFirst published April 11, 2025. It may not reflect later developments.
A routine sightseeing flight turned tragic on April 10, 2025, when a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six aboard — including a family visiting from Spain and their pilot.
Witnesses across Jersey City and Hoboken described scenes of horror as the aircraft spiraled out of control. Dani Horbiak recalled, “It splashed in several pieces into the river,” while Lesly Camacho saw “a bunch of smoke coming out” before it crashed. Tour boat passenger Mandy Bowlin shared, “We’re kind of shook up,” after seeing debris fly toward her vessel.
The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children. The helicopter had departed from downtown Manhattan and was airborne for less than 20 minutes.
Footage captured the aircraft breaking apart midair. Witness Bruce Wall noted, “You look up in the sky, and it’s just slowly falling apart… the rotor was in the air flying while it was falling down.”
New York Helicopter CEO Michael Roth said he is “absolutely devastated,” describing the rotor detachment as something he had “never witnessed” in 30 years. The crash remains under investigation.
