President Donald Trump Speaks Out on Hudson River Helicopter Crash

The President of the United States (POTUS), Donald Trump, recently penned a statement on social media about the tragic Hudson River helicopter crash. On April 11, 2025, the POTUS took to Truth Social to reiterate the details surrounding the tragedy and offer a few words for the people whose lives were lost and their affected loved ones.

“Terrible helicopter crash in the Hudson River. Looks like six people, the pilot, two adults, and three children, are no longer with us,” wrote Trump.

He continued, “The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, and his talented staff are on it. Announcements as to exactly what took place, and how, will be made shortly!”

According to New York authorities, the aircraft went down in the Hudson River, which separates Manhattan from nearby New Jersey, leaving behind a devastating scene that drew swift response from emergency teams.

The two adults and children who died were a family visiting from Spain. Images from the scene show the wreckage of the helicopter floating upside down in the water, underscoring the severity of the tragedy.

A video clip posted on YouTube paints a harrowing picture, as it shows the exact moment when the helicopter crash-landed into the river.

Shared by NBC News, the footage zoomed in on the aircraft as it fell and spiraled out of control mid-air, turning over right before it plummeted into the water. As it made contact with the river, huge ripples of water skyrocketed into the air upon impact.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with both marine and land response units attending the scene.

Trump’s remarks about the tragedy followed the initial reports addressing the crash. This information reveals what is known about it thus far and discloses the identities of the people onboard the aircraft.

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

In its initial statement issued on the same day of the crash (April 10), 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 smiled for a photo in front of the helicopter on the helipad, holding souvenir bags — unaware it would capture their final moments together.

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, with the FAA stating 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 different 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 flight’s operator, publicly emphasizes its commitment to safety and pilot experience. According to the company’s website, 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 the 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.

We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of Escobar, his wife, their children, and the helicopter pilot as they navigate such significant losses. We hope for their healing in their time of grief. RIP to the family and the pilot.

Amid reports of the crash, key details surrounding the tragedy have surfaced as the investigation continues. This includes the contents of the helicopter pilot’s final radio call. According to New York Helicopter owner Roth, the pilot radioed in shortly before the incident.

“He called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel. It should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph. Emergency services were first alerted at 3:17 p.m., just minutes after the helicopter lost contact.

Roth later received confirmation of the tragedy when another pilot flew over the Hudson River and spotted the aircraft upside down in the water. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed the aircraft had “lost control and hit the water.”

Investigators believe the helicopter followed a typical sightseeing path — flying over Governor’s Island, circling near the Statue of Liberty, and continuing north up the Hudson River. It reportedly turned around near the George Washington Bridge and flew back south along the Jersey City shoreline before disaster struck.

Roth said the crash has devastated the company. “Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying. The death of the child of any human being is a monumental disaster,” he said.

Aviation experts are beginning to piece together the possible mechanical failures behind the helicopter crash, offering early insights into what may have gone wrong in the air.

An aviation analyst, Kyle Bailey, suggested that a catastrophic rotor blade separation could have been the cause. If the blades had detached mid-flight, they may have severed the helicopter’s tail boom. A scenario that would render the aircraft uncontrollable.

JP Tristani, another aviation expert, described such a failure as unsurvivable. “If that articulating head actually separated from the aircraft, the aircraft was doomed,” he explained. “There’s no possibility of that aircraft ever having made a normal type of landing. It was going to crash.”

Tristani added that losing the rotor head or even a single blade leaves the aircraft in freefall, “You’re just a falling brick. You don’t have a chance in hell.” The helicopter was in the air for approximately 16 minutes before plunging into the Hudson River, according to data from FlightRadar24 and CNN’s flight analysis.

At the time of the crash, weather conditions were moderately challenging. Winds were blowing between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph. While visibility at ground level was good, reported at 10 miles, overcast skies and light rain were moving into the area, potentially complicating flight conditions.

After the crash, air traffic controllers quickly issued alerts to nearby helicopters, asking them to scan the river. “Please keep your eyes open. You [sic] guys see anything in the water, please let us know,” one emergency response pilot said over the frequency.

In response to the accident, the FAA has implemented temporary restrictions on drone flights near the crash site. Only operators with specific clearance are permitted to fly in the vicinity.

Though experts have shared theories, the official cause remains under investigation. Both the FAA and the NTSB are involved in the probe, which may take some time to reach a conclusive finding.

The tragedy has drawn international attention, with Spain’s Prime Minister expressing deep sorrow over the loss. In a statement shared on X, he called the crash devastating and described it as an unimaginable tragedy.

He also offered condolences to the victims’ families. The statement, originally written in Spanish, was widely shared and reflected the collective shock felt across the country.