Three children, a Siemens executive, and his wife were found dead in the Hudson River helicopter crash

The Hudson River collision claimed the lives of six people, including Siemens executive Agustín Escobar, his wife, and three little children.

Six people were confirmed dead when a tourist helicopter fell into the Hudson River in New York City on Thursday afternoon, including a Siemens executive, his wife, and three small children.

Leading Siemens’ operations throughout Spain and Southwest Europe, Agustín Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubí Montal, and their four, five, and eleven-year-old children were on the fateful trip. The 36-year-old pilot of the helicopter, whose name has not yet been released, and the family, who were traveling to New York from Barcelona, Spain, died together.

After the horrific event, law enforcement officials gave ABC News confirmation of the family’s names.

At around 3:17 p.m., the New York Helicopters-operated helicopter fell into the Hudson off the coast of River Drive in Hoboken, New Jersey, after taking off from the Wall Street Heliport at 2:59 p.m. local time. Officials said it was the plane’s sixth flight of the day.

In the 50-degree freezing water, rescue divers found the Bell 206 aircraft upside-down. All six occupants—four at the site and two later in the hospital—were pronounced dead despite the quick emergency response.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is looking into what caused the crash and is investigating the cause. Shortly after arriving at the George Washington Bridge and trying to turn south, the helicopter was seen on video spinning in the air before plummeting quickly into the river.

On social media, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sent his condolences, describing the tragedy as “devastating.”

“The pilot and five Spaniards from the same family—three of them children—were killed. A calamity beyond comprehension. “I express my sympathies to the loved ones of the victims during this tragic period,” Sánchez wrote on X.

In previous company comments, Escobar, a pivotal member of Siemens’ mobility and transport division, received recognition for his leadership. Escobar was previously referred to as “the best possible successor” by Miguel Ángel López, the former head of Siemens Spain, whose contributions were “key to Siemens’ success.”

“Our hearts go out to the family and those on board,” said Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, at a news briefing.

The tragedy is reminiscent of the recent death of Herbert Wigwe, a Nigerian banking executive, together with his wife, son, and former chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, in a helicopter crash in California in February 2024.

Wigwe and his family were on a private jet that crashed, just like the Escobar family, which caused public sorrow and sparked new worries about aviation safety in the private charter industry.