A Spanish tech government, his spouse and three younger youngsters who had been all killed in a helicopter crash whereas touring the New York Metropolis skyline had been celebrating the mom’s fortieth birthday on the time, native officers mentioned Friday.
Siemens’ Spanish department CEO Agustín Escobar took off in a Bell 206 helicopter at round 2:59 p.m. on Thursday together with his spouse, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three youngsters. The flight lasted lower than 20 minutes and crashed close to the Jersey Metropolis shoreline in New Jersey, killing the household and the pilot.
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams recognized the youngsters’ ages as 4, 7 and 10 in an interview with Fox 5’s “Good Day New York” on Friday. He mentioned the 7-year-old would have turned 8 on Friday.
Jersey Metropolis Mayor Steven Fulop mentioned in a social media publish on Friday that Escobar was on a enterprise journey and had prolonged his keep for a few days when his household flew out from Spain.
“They had been celebrating the mother’s fortieth bday with the vacationer helicopter flight yesterday,” Fulop mentioned.
Video of the crash confirmed the helicopter tumbling into the water, and one witness informed The Related Press she noticed “a bunch of smoke popping out” of the plane.
Michael Roth, who heads New York Helicopter Excursions and owns the plane the household boarded, informed The Telegraph that the pilot had radioed in that he was touchdown to refuel however by no means arrived.
“I acquired a name from my supervisor and my downtown heliport, and she or he mentioned she heard there was a crash, after which my cellphone blew up from everyone,” Roth informed the outlet.
The pilot was recognized by his spouse, Kathryn Johnson, as 36-year-old Navy SEAL veteran Sean Johnson, in keeping with Gothamist. He was a gunner’s mate accountable for fixing tools throughout his time within the navy and had just lately moved to New York Metropolis to proceed his aviation profession.
Jennifer Homendy of the Nationwide Transportation Security Board informed reporters at a Friday press convention that Johnson held a business pilot certificates with rotor craft and instrument rankings and had amassed about 788 hours of whole flight time as of March 29.
A video posted on the pilot’s social media weeks earlier than the crash reveals him flying over the Manhattan skyline in a helicopter.
“ I’m simply at loss for phrases. I don’t even know what occurred,” his spouse informed Gothamist.
The reason for the crash remains to be beneath investigation. Homendy informed reporters that investigators “have a whole lot of info, however we don’t speculate.”
Fulop mentioned on X that he’s working with a member of the family to expedite the discharge of the household’s our bodies again to Spain.