SHOCKING new photos show the horrifying moment a helicopter carrying six people broke apart in midair before crashing into the Hudson River in April.
Images of the crash that killed all aboard during a helicopter tour of New York have been released in a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
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The horrific crash happened on April 10 at 3:17 pm, when a helicopter fell into the Hudson River by Lower Manhattan in New York City.
The crash is believed to have been caused by a mechanical failure with the rotor system, which forced the helicopter to break apart.
The harrowing images show the devastating sequence of how the helicopter broke up.
First, the helicopter’s tail breaks away from the fuselage and rotor blades before both blades separate from the fuselage.
The final image shows the fuselage nose-diving into the river.
According to the report, the aircraft was not equipped with any photo or audio devices, which would give investigators a better understanding of what happened.
The pilot was reportedly wearing a pair of sunglasses that had video and audio recording capability, however they have not ben recovered.
HUDSON HORROR
The helicopter was giving a tour of Lower Manhattan to a family visiting from Barcelona, Spain, when it crashed.
European automation executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children, aged 4, 5, and 11 years old, were killed in the crash alongside the pilot Sean Johnson, 36, ABC News reported.
The malfunction occurred 15 minutes after takeoff, just as the aircraft reached the George Washington Bridge.
“Our hearts go out to the family and those on board,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said following the accident.
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, called the accident an “unimaginable tragedy.”
“Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives,” Sanchez posted on X.
“I sympathize with the victims’ loved ones at this heartbreaking time.”
While the NTSB is still investigating the accident, NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy confirmed that the pilot was experienced with hundreds of hours of flying time.
“The pilot reported 450 hours of total flight experience on his most recent medical, which was issued on Sept. 20, 2024,” Homendy said.
What we know about the Hudson River helicopter crash
A devastating helicopter crash in New York City has claimed the lives of a family of five from Spain, turning what should have been a dream vacation into an unthinkable tragedy.
Here’s what we know about what happened on April 10, 2025:
Who were the victims?
• Agustin Escobar, Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, was on board with his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children.
• The family had just arrived in New York from Barcelona earlier that day.
• Merce worked as a global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona.
• The children were all of middle school age or younger.
• Sean Johnson was identified as the pilot of the helicopter.
What happened?
• The sightseeing helicopter, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, crashed into the Hudson River around 3:15 pm on Thursday.
• Witnesses say the chopper broke apart midair before plunging into the river.
• Four victims died at the scene, while two more were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Haunting final moments:
• Heartbreaking photos on the New York Helicopter Tours website show the family smiling in front of the chopper and strapped in for takeoff just moments before the crash.
Investigation underway:
• Authorities are still working to determine what caused the helicopter to break apart in midair.
“As of March 29, 2025, the pilot had accumulated about 788 hours of total flight time.”
DETAILED BREAKDOWN
The NTSB’s latest report revealed that the crash occurred within the span of eight seconds.
The data shows the helicopter plummeting from 675 feet to 125 feet within seconds.
Debris from the accident was found north of the Holland Tunnel and near Hoboken, New Jersey.
Witnesses described hearing a loud “bang” before the helicopter split into three parts.
“It sounded like a sonic boom,” a witness told local ABC affiliate WABC.
The man said he saw the “helicopter splitting in two with the rotor flying off.”
Another witness, Eric Campoverde, told ABC News that the sight was “very scary.”
“I was walking by and the helicopter went down at a 45-degree angle.
“Big splash — it was very scary.”
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