A haunting picture captures a smiling family moments before their tragic deaths in a helicopter crash.
On Thursday (April 10), a devastating helicopter crash in New York’s Hudson River claimed the lives of Agustin Escobar, a senior executive at Siemens Mobility, his wife, and their three children.
The family had reportedly just arrived from Barcelona, Spain, earlier that day when they boarded a sightseeing flight. Moments later, tragedy struck.
Witnesses reported that the Bell 206 aircraft appeared to lose its rotors before plummeting into the water near Pier 40 in Manhattan. The FDNY confirmed the crash occurred around 3:15PM, close to the Hoboken border in New Jersey.
The pilot, who has not been publicly identified, was also killed in the incident.
Heartbreaking images on the New York Helicopter Tours website show Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three kids smiling in front of the aircraft. Another picture shows them belted into their seats moments before the crash.
Officials said the helicopter came apart mid-flight before nosediving into the river. Four of the six people onboard died at the scene.
The other two were transported to a hospital but later succumbed to their injuries.
The cause of the catastrophic crash is still under investigation.
Escobar, who had recently been named Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, brought 25 years of global experience to the role, per his LinkedIn profile.
He had previously led operations across the US, South America, Germany, and Spain. Before his latest position, he served as CEO of Siemens Spain for two years.
When Siemens appointed him to that role, Miguel Ángel López, his predecessor, said Escobar’s efforts were “key to Siemens’ success in the field of mobility and transport.”
His wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, held a significant leadership role of her own. The New York Post reported that she worked as a global commercialization manager for Siemens Energy in Barcelona for seven years.
Their three children, all believed to be of middle school age or younger, were described by those who knew the family as joyful and close-knit.
“He was such a great person - kind, steady, and always there when you needed him,” Juan Ignacio Diaz, a longtime friend and former Siemens colleague, said. “He was a loyal friend, someone you could really count on.”
Diaz recalled how Escobar balanced his demanding career with an unshakable devotion to his loved ones.
“No matter how hard things got, he always stayed calm and kept it together. He had this way of making things feel OK, even when they weren’t,” Diaz said. “And he never forgot what mattered most - his family.”
“He loved his wife and kids so much - they were everything to him,” Diaz added. “He was a loving, fun, and just really cool dad. I’m going to miss him and his family. I love you my friend.”
The tragedy also drew international attention, including from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who mourned the family’s loss in a heartfelt message shared on X.
“The news reaching us today of the helicopter crash in the Hudson River is devastating,” Sánchez posted. “Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives.
"An unimaginable tragedy. I share in the grief of the victims' loved ones at this heartbreaking time," he added.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.