History of air disasters in Hudson River after deadly helicopter crash
The Hudson River has seen more than its fair share of tragedy this week after a tourist helicopter crashed into the water.
Siemens executive Augustin Escobar, along with his wife and their three children, died during a sightseeing flight above New York when their helicopter broke apart in midair on Thursday afternoon.
Seankese Johnson, the pilot who had flown the same model of helicopter just weeks before, also died after the aircraft plummeted into the river.
The cause of the crash is still yet to be determined, but sadly this is not the first time an aircraft has gone down in the Hudson River.
At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York since 1977.
New York City mayor Eric Adams said this week’s tragedy was ‘almost reminiscent’ of the 2009 Hudson River plane crash, but added ‘thank god we didn’t lose any lives back then’.
Metro takes a look back at some of the worst and most famous incidents to take place on the Hudson River.
2025 – tourist helicopter
Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children aged 4, 5, and 11, all died alongside helicopter pilot Seankese Johnson on April 10.
The family was visiting from Spain, having arrived in New York the day before, and they were taking part in a sightseeing helicopter trip when the aircraft crashed into the Hudson.
The helicopter took off at about 3pm local time and crashed 17 minutes later, close to Lower Manhattan’s West Village.
Four of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two were taken to hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.
Witnesses said they saw pieces of the aircraft come off as it ‘fell out of the sky’, including a blade.
2019 crash – charter helicopter
A charter helicopter – the same model, a Bell 206, as the aircraft which crashed on Thursday – crashed into the Hudson River near a heliport shortly after refuelling.
The pilot was the only person on board, and luckily they escaped mostly unscathed.
2018 – tourist helicopter crash
Five tourists were killed in 2018 after a helicopter flying with an open door – in order to take clearer pictures – crashed into the Hudson.
While the pilot was able to free himself and survived, the five victims, aged between 26 and 34, got stuck in the wreckage.
Since then, the Federal Aviation Administration banned supplemental passenger restraint systems on ‘doors off’ flights which can’t be released easily in an emergency.
2016 crash – World War II plane
Pilot William Gordon was flying a P-47 Thunderbolt above the Hudson River to celebrate the American Airpower Museum’s 75th anniversary.
The pilot died after the World War II-era plane crashed into the river.
2013 crash – sightseeing crash
Back in June 2013, New York Helicopters – which also owned and operated the craft which crashed earlier this week – had another of their craft crash onto the Hudson.
Back then, the Bell 206 lost power and was forced to make an emergency landing on the water.
Thankfully the pilot landed safely, and he and the family of four Swedish tourists he was carrying were uninjured.
2009 crash – Miracle on the Hudson
US Airways flight 1549 hit birds shortly after taking off from LaGuardia Airport on January 15, 2009, which caused the engines to lose power.
With very few options, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger crash landed the Airbus A320 on the Hudson River.
There were 155 people on board but while many suffered hypothermia and other minor injuries, only five people were seriously injured and everyone survived.
The crash became known as the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’, and it was immortalised in the 2016 film Sully, where Tom Hanks played the pilot.
2009 crash – plane and helicopter collision
Sadly this crash, about seven months after the Miracle on the Hudson, did not end so well.
All nine people aboard a tourist helicopter and small private plane died on August 8, 2009 after the two aircraft collided in midair.
2007 crash – sightseeing helicopter
Another sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson back in 2007 after experiencing a mechanical problem when it took off from the heliport.
Thankfully, however, everyone on board this flight made it out safely.
1986 crash – radio helicopter crash
A radio traffic reporter for NBC died after the helicopter she was flying in lost lift, hitting a fence and crashing into the Hudson.
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