Sightseeing of Manhattan turned into tragedy for a family of five as helicopter crashed upside down into the Hudson River.
As reported by Associated Press, on Thursday, April 10, witnesses saw the aircraft "falling apart," midair, before it went down in the river, claiming lives of all five passengers and the pilot.
The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children, along with pilot.
Based in Germany, Siemens AG is one of the world's largest technology companies, which focuses on transport, healthcare, and infrastructure.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the helicopter was a Bell 206, used mainly in government and commercial aviation, along with sightseeing companies, TV news stations and police.
Escobar was visiting from Spain with his family and worked for the tech company Siemens for over 27 years, and in late 2022, he briefly became president and CEO of Siemens Spain.
Justin Green, an aviation lawyer shared that the aircraft might have crashed due to problem with helicopter's main rotors and the tail boom, which caused it to break and fall.
Manhattan, being a business hub and densely populated area, usually observes its skies filled with planes and helicopters, from both private and commercial flights.
Notably, the tragic incident has once again highlighted the safety of flying in the US, as the country as seen an influx in accident involving aircraft.
