2025 Hudson River helicopter crash
 N216MH, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 2024 | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | April 10, 2025 |
| Summary | Crashed into Hudson River after in-flight breakup; under investigation |
| Site | Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. 40°43′45″N 74°1′38″W / 40.72917°N 74.02722°W |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Bell 206L-4 |
| Operator | New York Helicopter |
| Registration | N216MH |
| Flight origin | Downtown Manhattan Heliport, New York City, U.S. |
| Destination | Downtown Manhattan Heliport, New York City, U.S. |
| Occupants | 6 |
| Passengers | 5 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Fatalities | 6[1] |
| Survivors | 0 |
On April 10, 2025, a Bell 206 LongRanger IV operated by New York Helicopter on a sightseeing tour crashed into the Hudson River near Newport, Jersey City.[1] All six onboard – a family of five and the pilot – were killed. The aircraft was operating its eighth flight of the day.
Background
[edit]Aircraft
[edit]The aircraft involved in the accident was a Bell 206 LongRanger IV (L-4). Local excursion company New York Helicopter Charter Inc. was leasing the aircraft from Louisiana helicopter company Meridian Helicopters.[2] According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, it was built in 2004 and had an airworthiness certificate issued in 2016 that was valid until 2029.[3] The helicopter's last major inspection was on March 1.[4]
Passengers and crew
[edit]Six people were on board the helicopter. Law enforcement sources told ABC News that the occupants of the helicopter were a family of five from Barcelona, Spain, consisting of Siemens Spain's president Agustín Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children (aged 4, 8, and 10).[5] The pilot was 36-year-old US Navy SEAL veteran Sean Johnson.[6]
Weather
[edit]There were winds of 9 to 12 mph (14 to 19 km/h) coming from the south and southeast, with occasional gusts up to 21 mph (34 km/h) around the time of the crash, according to a weather station. Visibility at the surface was good for up to 10 mi (16 km) but it was cloudy as a low pressure system moved into the region, bringing light rain in the afternoon and evening.[7]
Operator
[edit]The operator of the helicopter was local excursion company New York Helicopter, which has also been known as New York Helicopter Charter Inc. and New York Helicopter Tours LLC. The company was founded in the 1990s by Michael Roth. New York Helicopter had two prior crashes.[2] Over the last eight years, the company has been through a bankruptcy and faces ongoing lawsuits over alleged debts. In January, the company was sued for over US$1.4 million for non-payment of a helicopter lease. Another lender sued in February, saying the company had blocked repayments on a weeks-old loan and owed over $83,000. New York Helicopter has not filed a response in either case.[8]
Accident
[edit]
At 2:59 p.m. EDT, the helicopter took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on its eighth flight of the day[4] and traveled along the southern part of Manhattan and circled the Statue of Liberty before it flew up the western side of Manhattan. At 3:08 p.m., the helicopter turned around near the George Washington Bridge at about 1,000 feet (300 m) before turning south along the New Jersey shoreline.
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Prior to the crash, the pilot radioed to say that he was returning to the helipad to refuel.[9] About 18 minutes into the flight at 3:17 p.m. the helicopter experienced an in-flight breakup, the main rotor breaking off, causing it to fall at a 45-degree angle and crash upside-down into the Hudson River near Newport, Jersey City, opposite Pier 40 in New York City. The fuselage landed in 5-foot (1.5 m) deep waters, while other pieces landed in 75-foot (23 m) deep waters. The water temperature was 50 °F (10 °C) at the time of the crash.[7][10]
Witnesses described hearing loud noises before seeing the helicopter fall apart mid-air, with debris falling into the river. Emergency responders arrived to find the helicopter submerged. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries at a hospital. All bodies of the victims of the crash were recovered.[11][12]
Investigation
[edit]
The FAA confirmed it is investigating the crash along with the NTSB, Bell Textron and Rolls Royce. The NTSB chair and investigators traveled to the site of the crash the same night[3] and held their first media briefing the following day.[13]
Most of the wreckage, including the main fuselage with the cockpit and cabin, the forward portion of the tail boom, the horizontal stabilizer finlets and the vertical fin, were recovered on April 11, while divers continued recovery operations on Sunday to recover the rest of the wreckage, including the helicopter’s main rotor, main gear box, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom. Side-scanning sonar is being used to identify potential locations of wreckage. Some of the recovered parts will be sent to the NTSB laboratories in Washington for closer inspection.[4]
The helicopter was not equipped with any flight recorders. No onboard video recorders or camera recorders have been recovered and none of the helicopter avionics onboard recorded information that could be used for the investigation.[4]
NTSB investigators met with representatives from the helicopter's operator New York Helicopter to review operational records, policies and procedures, safety management systems and the pilot’s experience. Investigators also examined two exemplar helicopters.[4]
Aftermath
[edit]
The FAA temporarily prohibited drone pilots from flying near the crash site unless they have specific authorization.[3]
Reactions
[edit]Domestic
[edit]President Donald Trump offered condolences to the families and friends of the helicopter crash which he described as terrible in a message on Truth Social. He also said that the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, and his staff were investigating and that "announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly".[7]
New York City mayor Eric Adams said "Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard".[7]
Michael Roth, the CEO of New York Helicopter Charter Inc., said "we are devastated" over the crash. When asked about the maintenance of the helicopter, Roth said, "It's my director of maintenance who deals with that".[3]
International
[edit]Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez called the incident "an unimaginable tragedy" in a post on X.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Katersky, Aaron; Margolin, Josh; Shapiro, Emily (April 10, 2025). "Helicopter crash in Hudson River in New York City, all 6 on board killed". ABC News. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ a b "Live Updates: Five Tourists and Pilot Killed When Helicopter Crashes Into Hudson River". The New York Times. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Miller, John; Romine, Taylor; Cooper, Aaron; Winter, Jeff (April 10, 2025). "A Siemens exec, his family and their pilot are dead after helicopter crashes into the Hudson River". CNN. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "News Release". National Transportation Safety Board. April 12, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ Bautista, José; Chutel, Lynsey (April 11, 2025). "Siemens Executive and His Family Died in Hudson Helicopter Crash". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Bardolf, Deirdre (April 11, 2025). "Pilot of doomed Hudson River helicopter ID'd as Navy SEAL veteran who had posted chilling video month before death". New York Post. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Hudson River helicopter crash live updates: 6 dead after aircraft goes down in New York City". NBC News. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ "Helicopter company in deadly NYC crash had faced debt lawsuits". CTV News. Associated Press. April 11, 2025. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Longmire, Becca (April 11, 2025). "Operator of Helicopter That Crashed in Hudson River Reveals Pilot Radioed to Say He 'Needed Fuel' Before Tragedy". People.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Zanger, Jesse; Bauman, Ali; Saeidi, Mahsa (April 11, 2025). "Hudson River helicopter crash cause not yet known, NTSB says". CBS New York. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ Sisak, Michael R.; Peltz, Jennifer; Shaffrey, Ted (April 10, 2025). "NYC mayor says family of Spanish tourists died in helicopter crash into Hudson River". AP News. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ "Pilot, family of 5 from Spain killed after helicopter crashes into Hudson River in NYC | LIVE". ABC7 Los Angeles. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ NTSB Media Briefing - Bell 206 L-4 helicopter crash near Jersey City, New Jersey. Retrieved April 12, 2025 – via www.youtube.com.
External links
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