Siemens Spain CEO Agustin Escobar, his wife and three young children died after their helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on April 10.
According to ABC News, the tech CEO's family of five were from Barcelona and had just arrived in New York the same day. The tragic accident occurred while they were taking a tour on a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter organized by New York Helicopter Tours.
Photos on the New York Helicopter Tours website show the Escobar family smiling and posing outside the plane minutes before the accident. Their three children appear to be middle school age or younger. The identity of the pilot has not yet been determined.
Mr. Escobar has 25 years of international experience, having led businesses around the world, including the United States, South America, Spain and Germany. He has been CEO of Siemens Spain since late 2022. When he was appointed, his predecessor, Miguel Ángel López, praised Mr. Escobar's contributions to Siemens' success in the transportation sector. He has also been global CEO of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility since October last year.
The accident occurred at around 3:15 p.m., the tourist helicopter broke apart in mid-air and crashed into the Hudson River. Four victims were confirmed dead at the scene and two others died at the hospital. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted on X on the morning of April 11, expressing condolences to the family of the tech entrepreneur. "The news we received today about the helicopter crash on the Hudson River is heartbreaking. Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have died. An unimaginable tragedy. My thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims at this heartbreaking time," he wrote.
"President Donald Trump also expressed on Truth Social: "The footage of the crash is horrifying. God bless the families and friends of the victims. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and his talented team are handling this matter. An announcement on what happened and how it happened will be made soon."
According to NYP