April 11, 2025 – New York City — A sightseeing tour turned tragic this week when a Bell 206L-4 helicopter operated by New York Helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six people on board — including a Spanish family of five and the American pilot, Sean Johnson. Authorities now confirm that the helicopter ran out of fuel less than 15 minutes after takeoff, just moments before a catastrophic mid-air failure.
The doomed flight departed from Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 p.m. EDT on April 10 for what was expected to be a routine aerial tour of New York City. But by 3:17 p.m., the helicopter had plummeted into the Hudson River upside down after witnesses reported seeing the rotor blades separate from the aircraft in flight.
The victims include 36-year-old pilot Sean Johnson, a former Navy SEAL, and the Escobar-Camprubí family from Spain — Agustín Escobar, president of Siemens Spain; his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, an employee of Siemens Energy; and their three children, ages 10, 8, and 4. The family was visiting New York to celebrate their child’s birthday.
According to Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter, Johnson had radioed the heliport just minutes before the crash, stating he needed to return urgently to refuel. “He called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel,” Roth told The Telegraph. “It should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive.”
Sources now confirm that the helicopter ran out of fuel shortly after that radio call. The FAA and NTSB are investigating whether the fuel shortage directly led to the mechanical failure that caused the rotor detachment. Early theories suggest a potential failure involving the “Jesus nut,” a critical component that secures the rotor blades to the main rotor hub.
Compounding the tragedy is the troubled history of the tour operator, New York Helicopter, which has experienced bankruptcy in the last decade and is currently facing multiple lawsuits over financial liabilities.
The company, however, has not been cited recently for safety violations. It remains unclear why the helicopter took off with insufficient fuel, or whether standard pre-flight safety protocols were bypassed or failed.
Mayor Eric Adams released a statement expressing his condolences: “Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives in this unthinkable tragedy.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also offered public condolences, calling the loss of the family “devastating.”
As the investigation continues, questions mount about regulatory oversight of commercial tour flights and whether this fatal incident could have been prevented.
This is a developing story.