Witnesses recall what they heartbreakingly saw as helicopter crashed into the Hudson River

On Thursday, a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York, and it’s since been reported a family of five and the pilot have died. They are reported to have been all six of the people onboard at the time.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the helicopter was operated by New York Helicopters, and crashed into the river at 3.17pm Eastern Time yesterday (April 10th). Officials were alerted to the situation, and by 5.15 pm, rescue efforts were concluded. It was confirmed everyone onboard had sadly passed away.

The victims of the flight have been identified as the pilot, and Siemens executive Agustín Escobar, alongside his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children. The children were aged 11, five and four. The family were believed to have been on a sightseeing trip in the city.

via Derek French/UPI/Shutterstock

Now, witnesses to the crash have spoken out about what they heard from nearby. An eye witness named Max spoke to ABC News, and said: “It sounded like a sonic boom so I look up and literally I saw helicopter splitting in two, with the rotor flying off in the sky it was going so fast and it just went straight into the water.

“Nothing came up afterwards it must have just sunk and that was it, and then I just waited here and like five minutes later we started seeing the police and stuff come. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.”

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He added: “For me I just thought it was going to be like city noise, like a crash or like maybe like a jet going overhead – I know that’s probably not common. But yeah, just like a big bang on my right and then like a whoop whoop [helicopter noise] as you see the propeller like flying off like up way higher than the the helicopter and just land straight in the water.

“I’m not [sure], maybe the tail separated? But I think definitely the rotor separated and the body went straight into the water, so some something must have happened with the rotor and it just flipped right off.”

BREAKING: At least three people are deceased after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, according to ABC 7.

Five people were reportedly onboard.

According to local officials, the passengers were a "mix of children and adults."

One witness says they saw the helicopter… pic.twitter.com/UlYNoSTbnk

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 10, 2025

New York police department commissioner, Jessica Tisch said the aircraft “lost control and hit the water”. Another witness said they the “chopper blade flew off” as the helicopter crashed. “I don’t know what happened to the tail, but it just straight-up dropped. It dropped feet away from Holland Tunnel, and I can’t imagine if it hit it,” Avi Rakesh said to NBC.

The owner of the helicopter told The Telegraph: “He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive. We’re all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying.