Agustin Escobar Siemens Executive, along with his wife and three young children, was among six people who tragically lost their lives when a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River during a sightseeing tour over Manhattan. The pilot also perished in the incident.
The helicopter, operated by New York Helicopters, experienced a catastrophic failure while in mid-air on Thursday afternoon. The tragic event has shocked both the business world and the aviation community, particularly given Escobar’s prominent leadership role within Siemens Mobility.
Agustin Escobar, Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, had a distinguished career spanning more than 25 years. He joined Siemens in 1998, initially heading sales and project management for Power Automation Systems in Madrid.
Throughout his career, he steadily rose through Siemens’ leadership, ultimately taking charge of the company’s global rail infrastructure division in October 2023. He had previously served as CEO of Siemens Spain and was residing in Berlin at the time of the crash.
Just a day before the fatal flight, Escobar celebrated a UK rail project on LinkedIn: “What an inspiring example of investment in rail infrastructure and technology! Looking forward to seeing the innovation that will emerge from this new center.”
He regularly posted about rail sustainability and had recently travelled for work to both the UK and India. Since 2023, he had also held the position of Vice President at the German Chamber of Commerce for Spain.
His wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, held the position of Global Commercialisation Manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona. A granddaughter of former FC Barcelona president Agustí Montal Costa, she pursued her education at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and later at the IESE Business School.
Before returning to Spain in 2018, she and her husband both worked for Siemens in Bogotá, Colombia. Their three children, aged 4, 5, and 11, also died in the crash.
Mid-Air Failure Sparks Investigation
The helicopter departed a downtown heliport at around 3pm and had been airborne for less than 18 minutes. It flew north along the Manhattan skyline before turning south towards the Statue of Liberty. Witnesses described the aircraft disintegrating mid-air before plunging into the Hudson River.
Bruce Wall, watching from Jersey City, saw it “falling apart” in the air. Others heard loud cracking sounds, followed by smoke and debris as the chopper crashed.
The aircraft, operated by New York Helicopters, experienced a catastrophic failure mid-flight before crashing into the Hudson River, killing all six on board. For more details on the incident and early eyewitness reports, you can read our in-depth coverage of the Hudson River helicopter crash involving the Spanish family.
NYPD air traffic control radio captured the chilling aftermath: “Be advised, you do have an aircraft down. Holland Tunnel. Please keep your eyes open for anybody in the water.”
Emergency teams reached the site swiftly. The wreckage was lifted from the river using a floating crane by 8pm. All bodies were recovered from the water, confirmed New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The helicopter was identified as a Bell 206, a model commonly utilised in both commercial and public aviation sectors.
Aviation attorney and former military pilot Justin Green said: “They were dead as soon as whatever happened happened… There’s no indication they had any control over the craft. No pilot could have prevented that accident once they lost the lifts.”
Past Accidents Raise Safety Concerns
This is the first fatal helicopter accident in New York City since 2019. Notable earlier incidents include a 2009 mid-air collision over the Hudson River that resulted in nine fatalities and a 2018 crash into the East River which claimed five lives.
New York Helicopters had previously experienced a mechanical issue in 2013, forcing an emergency landing on the Hudson River.
While no one was hurt in that instance, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) attributed it to maintenance lapses and engine lubrication problems. Following Thursday’s crash, the NTSB has launched a full investigation into the cause.
The company’s owner, Michael Roth, told The New York Post he was “devastated” and had “no clue” what led to the incident: “The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter… These are machines, and they break.”
Siemens released a statement expressing profound sadness: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones.”
