The brother of a woman who died alongside her husband, three children, and their pilot in a helicopter crash in New York City has spoken publicly following the tragedy.
Merce Camprubi Montal, her husband Agustín Escobar—a Siemens executive from Barcelona—and their three children, aged 11, five, and four, were killed when a sightseeing helicopter plunged into the Hudson River on Thursday, April 10.
The aircraft was being flown by former Navy SEAL Sean Johnson, who had radioed New York Helicopters shortly before the crash to report that the chopper needed fuel.
Michael Roth, the 71-year-old 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."
Eyewitness Max told ABC7: "It sounded like a sonic boom so I look up and literally I saw helicopter splitting in 2, 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."
He continued: "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 [making a 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 like [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."
All six people onboard were confirmed dead, and a full investigation is underway by the National Transportation Safety Board.
In the days following the crash, Merce Camprubi Montal’s brother, Joan Camprubí Montal, traveled to New York to identify the bodies of his sister and her family. He laid a wreath near the crash site and addressed reporters in his native language.
During the press conference, he recited each of the five victims’ names and said: “We will never forget you. We will keep your smile alive every day of our lives, and I believe that’s the best legacy we can give you.”
The pilot’s wife, Kathryn Johnson, also spoke out in the wake of the loss. She told the Gothamist: "I'm just at loss for words. I don't even know what happened. It's just hard right now.”
Johnson’s co-pilot and friend, Earl Watters, wrote on Facebook: "With a heavy heart I post this...Thanks to everyone that has reached out to me. Yes, the pilot of the helicopter crash in NY was my Co-Pilot and great friend on Boomer last year Sean Johnson. ... The world has lost an all around great person and amazing friend. He definitely changed my life for the better and I just want to celebrate his life and how he lived. Always and forever a BOOMER crew member Godspeed Amigo."
The helicopter had taken off from Downtown Manhattan at 2:59PM and was reportedly on its sixth flight of the day. Officials believe the aircraft was a Bell 206.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash and are working to determine whether mechanical failure or other issues contributed to the fatal incident.