June 25, 2025
World
World
THE HAGUE, June 25 — U.S. President Donald Trump claimed today that missile strikes over the weekend caused severe damage to Iranian nuclear sites, although he admitted that the intelligence available was inconclusive.
NEW YORK, April 11 — Six people, including a senior Siemens executive and his family, lost their lives when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York.
The tragic accident, which occurred yesterday, claimed the lives of everyone on board — the pilot and the family of Agustin Escobar, the CEO of a Siemens subsidiary.
Two of the victims were initially taken to the hospital but later succumbed to their injuries.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives,” Siemens said in a statement to AFP on Friday.
US media outlets, including NBC News, identified one of the other victims as Escobar’s wife, Merce Camprubi.
Siemens Energy, a former subsidiary of Siemens, also confirmed to AFP that a colleague from the company died in the crash along with Escobar and the pilot, though they did not confirm the identity of Escobar’s wife.
All six bodies — including those of three children — have been recovered from the river, New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed at a press briefing, calling the incident “heartbreaking and tragic.”
The helicopter’s skids could be seen sticking out of the river near a tunnel vent, as several rescue boats surrounded the crash site. Authorities from both New York and New Jersey responded, along with fire department vessels.
NBC4 reported that poor weather conditions in New York on Thursday — including gusty winds and thick clouds — had grounded its own news helicopter.
A witness, fashion designer Belle Angel, told AFP she saw the aircraft’s rotor blade “shatter in the sky” before the helicopter began to spiral and plunge into the river.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the helicopter involved was a Bell 206. An investigation is being conducted jointly by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Former President Donald Trump called the incident “terrible,” adding on Truth Social: “The footage of the accident is horrendous. God bless the families and friends of the victims.”
The Hudson River, a major shipping route, was also the site of the famed 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” when a US Airways plane made an emergency landing, with all 155 onboard surviving.
With depths reaching 200 feet (60 meters), the river’s temperature this time of year averages around 46°F (8°C), according to the US Geological Survey. An AFP correspondent saw flotation devices attached to the helicopter’s skids.
Mayor Adams said the helicopter, carrying three adults and three children from Spain, departed from the downtown Skyport at around 3 p.m.
Divers from the NYPD and FDNY rushed to the scene. “NYPD divers pulled four people from the crash site, and FDNY divers recovered two more,” said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “Lifesaving measures were immediately administered both on rescue boats and at the adjacent pier,” she added.
Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the remaining two died in hospital.
Commissioner Tisch said the helicopter had flown south after takeoff, circled back up the Manhattan shoreline to the George Washington Bridge, then turned back toward the downtown heliport before crashing near a pier in Hoboken.
The aircraft was operated by New York Helicopter, which did not respond to media inquiries. The company lists the Bell 206 among its fleet.
Brooklyn Borough President Mark Levine noted that there have been about 30 helicopter crashes in New York City since 1980 and called for stricter regulations on helicopter operations in the city. — AFP
