A helicopter carrying an important businessman crashed into the Hudson River.

An aerial tour over the Manhattan skyline turned into a tragedy Thursday afternoon, when a tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, near the coast of Hoboken, New Jersey.

The accident resulted in six fatalities, including three children and a senior Siemens executive, along with his wife. The family, originally from Spain, was on vacation in New York.

The helicopter, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV operated by the company New York Helicopters, took off from the downtown Manhattan heliport at 2:59 P.M.and followed a common tourist route. It flew over the Statue of Liberty, then proceeded north along the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge, where it turned south following the New Jersey coast.

At 3:17 P.M., witnesses began reporting that the aircraft was losing control. The helicopter tilted downward, lost parts in the air including the rotors and crashed upside down near Pier A Park, in Hoboken. Videos and testimonies show how the rotor detached mid-flight, spinning alone before impact.

According to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, visibility was 10 miles, although the region was cloudy with winds up to 25 mph. No severe weather conditions were reported that could explain the crash.

All six people on board died. Five have been identified as members of the Escobar family, originally from Spain: Siemens executive Agustín Escobar, 49 years old, his wife Merce Camprubí Montal, and their three minor children. The pilot also died, but his identity has not been disclosed.

Escobar was CEO of the rail infrastructure division at Siemens Mobility, based in Spain, and had been with the company for over 27 years. Both the company and Spanish authorities, including President Pedro Sánchez, expressed their sorrow over the tragic event.

Rescue teams from the New York Police and Fire Departments, the Coast Guard, and local New Jersey agencies replied immediately. Four people were pulled from the water with no vital signs, and the other two were taken to Jersey City Medical Center, where they died later.

New York Mayor Eric Adams deeply regretted the incident: "It's heartbreaking that a family who came to enjoy New York from the sky ended this way," he expressed. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also described the accident as "tragic."

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the accident. The NTSB sent a specialized "go-team" to review the wreckage and the helicopter's maintenance records.

Although the exact cause of the accident is unknown, the aircraft was flying in New York's special flight rules area, a zone without direct air traffic control. According to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the helicopter had been receiving assistance from LaGuardia Airport, but no longer had that support at the time of the crash.

The helicopter had a valid airworthiness certification until 2029, but there are concerns about the company's safety record. New York Helicopters was involved in two previous incidents: in 2013 and 2015, with similar mechanical issues related to engine failures and corroded components.

Additionally, the FAA had issued two specific airworthiness directives for the Bell 206L-4 model in 2022 and 2023, related to potential failures in the tail rotor and delamination of the main rotor blades. It is unclear if these directives were followed or if they influenced the accident.

The CEO of the operating company, Michael Roth, told CNN he was devastated: "I'm a father and grandfather. My wife hasn't stopped crying since the afternoon." When asked about maintenance, he replied that it was the responsibility of his maintenance director, who declined to comment.

This tragic accident adds to a series of incidents in the area. Since 1965, 36 helicopter accidents have been reported in New York, 11 of them fatal. In just the last two years, the NTSB recorded 211 helicopter accidents in the United States, 37 with fatalities.

The crash site is near the Holland Tunnel, a key artery between New Jersey and New York. The Coast Guard established a four-kilometer safety zone in the Hudson to facilitate the recovery of debris and continue the investigation.

President Donald Trumpexpressed his condolences on Truth Social: "Terrible accident. The images are horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims."

The recovery of the fuselage was completed at 10 P.M., but diving operations continue as authorities seek to clarify the exact causes of this devastating accident.