They Took a Family Photo Before Takeoff — Moments Later, the Helicopter Fell from the Sky
It was supposed to be a memory they’d treasure forever — a scenic helicopter ride over Manhattan, the kind of magical experience families dream about when visiting New York.
A Spanish couple, Agustin Escobar and Merce Camprubí Montal, stood smiling with their three young children — ages 4, 5, and 11 — posing for one final photo in front of the helicopter.
They held souvenir bags in their hands.
The sky was clear. The kids were laughing. The pilot gave a thumbs-up.
PICTURED: Agustín Escobar, the president of the Spanish branch of the technology company Siemens, and his wife and three children (pictured) were killed in the crash
And within 15 minutes, they were gone.
The Crash That Silenced a Family’s Dream
At 3:17 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, what began as a joyful sightseeing tour ended in catastrophe. The Bell 206 helicopter lifted off from Wall Street Heliport… and never returned.
Just minutes into the flight, something went terribly wrong.
Witnesses described hearing a sound “like a gunshot in the sky,” followed by a violent spiral. The chopper lurched, tilted nose-down, and began to fall. Then — a thunderous splash. The aircraft crashed into the Hudson River, near Hoboken, New Jersey.
Six lives. Lost in seconds.
PICTURED: Agustín Escobar, the president of the Spanish branch of the technology company Siemens, and his wife and three children (pictured) were killed in the crash
One of the Children Was Just Learning to Read
The Escobar family, visiting from Barcelona, was on vacation. They had walked through Central Park. Eaten pizza in the West Village. Taken photos in Times Square.
Their youngest had just started kindergarten. The oldest loved trains. Ironically, their father helped build some of the most advanced transportation systems in the world.
Agustin Escobar was more than a tourist. He was one of Europe’s top engineering minds — the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, responsible for some of the most complex rail projects on Earth. His vision helped move millions of people every day.
But on this day, he couldn’t save the six people who mattered most to him.
Witnesses Were Shaken — “It Vanished in Seconds”
Videos shared online show the aircraft twisting violently as it plummeted. One witness, Dani Horbiak, told ABC News she saw parts “falling off in midair.” Another heard a “sonic boom” moments before the rotor blades detached.
Eric Campoverde, a construction worker who had just finished his shift, watched it spiral downward at a terrifying angle. “Then I saw the big splash,” he said. “It disappeared fast — three, four seconds, and it was gone.”
The helicopter was found submerged in the river.
No one survived.
A Pilot’s Final Flight
The 36-year-old pilot, whose name has not yet been released, also died in the crash. According to the operator, New York Helicopter, he was FAA-certified and experienced.
The company had long touted its commitment to safety — the Bell 206 model was considered among the most reliable in its class.
But as pieces of the rotor were recovered from the water, and questions mounted about a possible catastrophic mechanical failure, all of that is now under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.
From Boardrooms to Bedtime Stories — A Life of Impact Ends Quietly
Agustin Escobar wasn’t just an executive. He was a father who read bedtime stories in two languages. A husband who planned this trip to rekindle joy after a long season of work. A man who dreamed of showing his kids the city where he once worked in his twenties.
He’d led billion-dollar projects across continents. But nothing meant more to him than the five passengers flying with him that day.
Now, five seats at his family’s dinner table will never be filled again.
A World in Mourning
As news of the crash spread, tributes poured in from around the globe. Engineers. CEOs. Former classmates. Friends.
Siemens Mobility released a statement honoring Escobar’s legacy, calling him “a visionary, a mentor, and above all, a deeply devoted family man.”
No words can undo what happened on April 10.
But maybe… just maybe… the final photo they took — smiling in front of the helicopter, full of wonder — can remind us what truly matters.
Cherish the moment. Because sometimes, it’s the last one we get.