After a deadly helicopter crash claims 6 lives in the Hudson River, a New York Senator pushes for a complete ban on sightseeing tours over Manhattan.
At a Glance
- A Bell 206 helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six people aboard, including a Siemens executive and his family who were celebrating a child’s birthday
- The crash has reignited calls to ban tourist helicopter flights, with NY Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal proposing legislation called the “Stop the Chop Act”
- The helicopter industry has a grim safety record in NYC with 38 deaths since 1977, including 25 from sightseeing tours
- Investigators suspect “catastrophic mechanical failure,” possibly involving the main rotors striking the tail boom
- Critics argue tourist flights over densely populated areas pose unacceptable safety risks with limited federal regulation
Tragic Crash Claims Family of Five and Pilot
The fatal helicopter crash in the Hudson River near Jersey City claimed the lives of all six people onboard, including five members of a single family. Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children aged 4, 8, and 10 perished in the accident. The family had been celebrating one of the children’s birthdays with what was meant to be a scenic helicopter tour of Manhattan.
Eyewitnesses reported the Bell 206 helicopter spinning uncontrollably before it hit the water. According to company CEO Michael Roth, the pilot had radioed in about needing fuel shortly before the crash, which occurred approximately 18 minutes after takeoff from a Downtown Manhattan heliport.
Mechanical Failure Suspected
Preliminary investigations point to a catastrophic mechanical failure as the likely cause of the crash. Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter which operated the aircraft, noted unusual circumstances in the crash. The company has experienced previous incidents, including a safe emergency landing in 2013.
New York Helicopter’s CEO admitted he had never witnessed anything like this crash in his three decades in the business. “I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.”
Senator Calls for Ban on Tourist Helicopter Flights
The deadly crash has emboldened critics of Manhattan’s helicopter tourism industry. New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is leading the charge to ban sightseeing helicopter tours in New York City. His proposed “Stop the Chop Act” would prohibit non-essential helicopter flights over the city, citing both safety concerns and noise pollution.
“We averted disaster possibly by just minutes,” Hoylman-Sigal told ABC. “And that is the concern here. Which is if a helicopter gets in trouble in a densely populated area like Manhattan, the disaster could be far worse.”
In 2022, Hoylman-Sigal released a report titled “The Nuisance of Tourist Choppers,” documenting frequency of helicopter flights over Manhattan. The Senator points to regulatory gaps that leave city residents vulnerable, noting: “The danger is that FAA regulates airspace above 500 feet, so the city and state are prohibited from passing laws that make tourist choppers safer.”
Long History of Helicopter Incidents
The recent tragedy adds to a troubling safety record for helicopters operating in New York City airspace. Between 1977 and 2019, 32 people died in NYC helicopter crashes, with this latest incident bringing the total to 38 fatalities. Of these deaths, 25 have occurred in sightseeing helicopter accidents over the past four decades.
Previous legislative attempts to curtail helicopter tourism include the Safe and Quiet Skies Act, introduced in 2023, which failed to pass but is being reconsidered after this latest incident. Advocacy groups like Stop the Chop have long pushed for stricter flight restrictions and noise reduction measures. Congressman Jerry Nadler characterized the recent crash as “heartbreaking” but “foreseeable” given the city’s congested airspace and minimal oversight.
