Heartbreaking Final Pictures of Family Wiped Out in Horror New York Hudson River Chopper Crash Show Them Grinning As They Strapped In To Doomed Helicopter
The tragic family posed up for snaps in front of the helicopter before taking off on their doomed flight.
April 11 2025, Published 8:49 a.m. ET
The tragic family wiped out in the horror Hudson River helicopter crash posed for snaps in the helicopter that brought them to to their doom just before their fatal final flight.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the heartbreaking final images of the family have been released showing them strapped into the doomed helicopter, as well as in front of the chopper before take-off.
The Escobar family, who perished along with the pilot, are seen here strapped into the helicopter before take off.
Siemens exec Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three kids – aged four to 11 – all died along with the chopper pilot on Thursday afternoon.
They were believed to have taken the flight to see the Statue of Liberty to celebrate one of their children's birthdays
The gut-wrenching photos, first published on the New York Helicopter Tours website, show the family smiling as they posed in front the doomed Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV.
They were later seen strapped inside the aircraft, excited for what was meant to be a dream tour over Manhattan.
The wreck of the helicopter was pulled out of the Hudson River by rescue teams after the crash.
But tragedy struck around 3.15pm, when the helicopter reportedly broke apart midair and dropped into the Hudson, killing four people on impact.
Two others were later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Terrifying videos show the chopper completely upside down as New York Police Department boats rushed to the wreck
A cause for the horror plunge hasn't been confirmed.
The Spanish family had landed in New York just hours earlier, having flown in from Barcelona to kick off their vacation.
The flight is reported to have been booked as a birthday present for one of the family's children.
Escobar, a 25-year veteran of the international tech and mobility scene, had held top positions across the globe — including Spain, South America, and the U.S.
Most recently, he was appointed Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility in October.
His wife Merce Camprubi Montal also had an impressive career.
She worked as a global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona for seven years, according to her LinkedIn profile.
The Spanish mom was reportedly related to two former Barcelona FC presidents, including one who brought Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff to the club.
The couple's three children, all believed to be in middle school or younger, were also killed in the crash.
Juan Ignacio Diaz, who used to work with Escobar, said: "He was such a great person – kind, steady, and always there when you needed him.
"He was a loyal friend, someone you could really count on.
"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."
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A New York City fireboat on the Hudson River following the tragic crash.
He added: "And he never forgot what mattered most — his family.
"He was a loving, fun, and just really cool dad," he said.
"I’m going to miss him and his family. I love you my friend."
The crash that wiped out the Escobar family happened just one day after an anti-helicopter group raised the alarm on an increase in New York City air traffic.
Andrew Rosenthal, who is the president of Stop the Chop NY/NJ, compared the jump in helicopter flights to the Washington DC plane crash that claimed 64 lives.
"That was 100 percent foreseeable and preventable," Rosenthal said, according to the Staten Island Advance.
"And we have the same exact, maybe worse, situation here in New York City."
Rosenthal fears helicopters are "sneaking under" approved elevations and is also worried there could be a devastating wreck in the near future.
