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HEARTBREAKING pictures from the site of the Hudson River helicopter crash show debris floating in the water, including a child’s sneaker.
The black and pink sole of the shoe can be seen in the murky waters, as well as a seat from the doomed chopper.
A black container and something that looks like a lid from a pink water bottle can also be seen floating, as well as parts of the helicopter itself.
Other pictures from the scene appear to show a waterlogged safety booklet.
All six people on board the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter were killed in Thursday’s tragedy.
The victims were identified as Agustin Escobar, the CEO of Siemens’ Spanish branch, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, their three children whose ages were between four and 11, and the pilot.
Officials have not named the couple’s children, nor the pilot who perished.
Local Catalan media revealed the family had booked the helicopter because it was one of their children’s birthday.
Escobar and his family had arrived in New York only hours before the crash.
The family was pictured beaming as they were strapped into their seats, preparing for takeoff.
The tourist helicopter was just over 15 minutes into its journey before the tragedy unfolded.
It had left the downtown Manhattan heliport just before 3pm.
The helicopter circled around the Statue of Liberty before going north toward George Washington Bridge.
Then, the helicopter turned before heading south.
Dramatic video footage captured the moment the helicopter came down just after 3:15pm local time.
What we know about the Hudson River helicopter crash
A devastating helicopter crash in New York City has claimed the lives of a family of five from Spain, turning what should have been a dream vacation into an unthinkable tragedy.
Here’s what we know about what happened on April 10, 2025:
Who were the victims?
• Agustin Escobar, Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, was on board with his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children.
• The family had just arrived in New York from Barcelona earlier that day.
• Merce worked as a global commercialization manager at Siemens Energy in Barcelona.
• The children were all of middle school age or younger.
• The pilot of the chopper, whose identity has not yet been released, was also killed.
What happened?
• The sightseeing helicopter, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, crashed into the Hudson River around 3:15 pm on Thursday.
• Witnesses say the chopper broke apart midair before plunging into the river.
• Four victims died at the scene, while two more were pronounced dead at the hospital.
Haunting final moments:
• Heartbreaking photos on the New York Helicopter Tours website show the family smiling in front of the chopper and strapped in for takeoff just moments before the crash.
Investigation underway:
• Authorities are still working to determine what caused the helicopter to break apart in midair.
The helicopter appeared to break apart mid-air before plunging at a high speed into the river.
It came down near the New Jersey shoreline.
The helicopter did not have a tail rotor, nor a main rotor blade when it splashed into the water.
Witnesses recalled what they heard after the helicopter hit the water.
Gabby Jackson, a local security guard, revealed she heard a large boom.
“I would have never thought it was a helicopter,” she told NBC News.
“It didn’t sound like something exploded. It just sounded like something hit something really hard, really loudly.”
Dominick Cognata was trying to find a flag football when he heard the helicopter splash into the river.
“It sounded like, like an engine just dying … and I just turned, I look, and I saw the helicopter crash and splashing to the water,” he said.
Bruce Wall revealed the plane started to fall apart in the air.
“And then maybe 15 feet in the air after the tail came off, broke off, and then the plane just sort of tumbled into the water with the propeller still in the air,” he told the ABC affiliate WABC-TV.
Dani Horbiak compared the noise to gunshots, according to the Associated Press.
She revealed she saw the helicopter break into pieces in the water.
The pilot made a request for fuel before the helicopter crashed, according to Michael Roth, the owner of New York Helicopter Charter.
“He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph.
Roth revealed he has been left devastated by what had unfolded.
Four people died at the scene; two more were pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the probe into the crash.
The crash happened almost five years after another helicopter plunged into the Hudson River.
The pilot escaped the craft.
At least 38 people have died in helicopter crashes in New York City since 1977, according to the Associated Press.
