A scenic flight over Manhattan ended in tragedy — onlookers saw it go down, a video captured the moment, and the family posed for a photo before takeoff.

The helicopter, carrying a Spanish family of five and their pilot, crashed into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon, April 10, killing all six people on board.

Authorities identified the victims as Agustin Escobar; his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal; and their children, ages 4, 5, and 11. The family, originally from Barcelona, was visiting New York on vacation. The 36-year-old pilot, whose name has not yet been released, also died in the crash.

In its initial statement issued on the same day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a Bell 206 helicopter had crashed and was submerged in the Hudson River. At the time of the release, the number of people on board had not yet been confirmed.

Just before takeoff, Escobar and his family were photographed standing together in front of the helicopter on the helipad. The family were smiling and posing with souvenir bags — captured only moments before the flight that would end in tragedy.

The crash occurred near Lower Manhattan at approximately 3:17 p.m., just 15 minutes after the helicopter departed from the Wall Street Heliport.

Officials said the aircraft flew north toward the George Washington Bridge, then suddenly turned south before descending rapidly and crashing into the river near Hoboken, New Jersey.

A video from NBC, captured from a nearby building and widely circulated online, shows the helicopter descending in a tilted, nose-down spiral before hitting the water. The aircraft appeared unstable, and parts seemed to detach midair, fueling concerns of a catastrophic mechanical failure.

The aircraft crashed close to the shoreline, where bystanders immediately alerted authorities. “Our hearts go out to the family and those on board,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams during a press briefing. The investigation remains ongoing.

The FAA stated that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the probe.

Several people who saw the crash described a terrifying sequence of events. Dani Horbiak, who witnessed the crash from her apartment, told ABC News, “I heard five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and saw pieces fall off, then watched it fall into the river.”

Another individual described hearing a noise “like a sonic boom,” moments before watching the helicopter split apart, with its rotor detaching as it fell. A separate witness recalled seeing one of the propellers break into pieces just before the aircraft struck the water.

Additional testimony, reported by the New York Post, came from Eric Campoverde, a 21-year-old construction worker who said he saw the helicopter descending at a steep 45-degree angle while walking home from work. “Then I heard and saw a big splash. It was going fast,” he added.

He recalled how quickly the aircraft vanished, emphasizing that it remained visible for only “three or four seconds” before sinking beneath the surface.

Michael Roth, CEO and owner of New York Helicopter Tour & Charter, according to LinkedIn, also weighed in after reviewing footage of the crash.

He said, “The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, [is] that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter. And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business.”

New York Helicopter, the operator of the flight, publicly emphasizes its commitment to safety and pilot experience. According to the company’s materials, all pilots are FAA-certified Airline Transport and Commercial pilots, each holding instrument and flight instructor ratings.

The company operates two helicopters: the Bell 206, a family of turbine-powered, rotary-wing aircraft that it describes as among the safest and most reliable in the world; and the Bell 206L IV LongRanger, a specific model within that family.

The LongRanger is a seven-seat helicopter with a reported cruising speed of 110 miles per hour, a range of 330 miles, and a flight endurance of approximately three hours.

As details of the crash continue to emerge, attention has also turned to the lives lost — particularly that of Escobar, whose death marks a major loss for the global transportation industry.

Escobar served as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, based in Berlin, Germany.

His career spanned more than 25 years, with leadership roles across Europe, the United States, and South America, including as President and CEO of Siemens Spain and head of regional operations in countries such as France, Portugal, Italy, and North Africa.

Escobar was known for driving innovation in rail technology, championing sustainability, and advancing digital transformation in large-scale transportation networks. Earlier in his career, he also held a corporate strategy role in New York, deepening his connection to the city where the crash occurred.

His death, along with that of his wife and children, has drawn sorrow across the international transportation and engineering community.

He held multiple academic credentials, including an Executive MBA from IE Business School, an MBA from Universidad de Alcalá, and a degree in Industrial Engineering (Electrical) from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid.