The tragic helicopter crash over New York’s Hudson River on April 10, 2025, claimed the lives of six people, including Agustín Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three young children.
The family of five was visiting New York from their home in Barcelona, Spain, for what was supposed to be a joyful celebration. Mercè had just turned 40, and their daughter Mercè was about to celebrate her ninth birthday the very next day. Instead, their sightseeing tour ended in unimaginable horror when the helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, broke apart midair and plunged into the icy waters of the Hudson. The pilot, a 36-year-old whose name hasn’t been released, also died in the crash.
Agustín Escobar, His Wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, and Their 3 Children – All About the Tragic Family
The 49-year-old was a high-profile executive at Siemens Mobility, where he served as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure. Born in Puertollano, a small industrial city in central Spain, Agustín had built an impressive career spanning 27 years with Siemens. He started as an intern in 1998 and climbed the ranks, holding leadership roles in the U.S., Colombia, and Germany. Just a day before the crash, he had posted on LinkedIn about a new rail project in the UK, showcasing his passion for innovation.
His hometown revered him as a “favorite son,” and he was deeply involved in local projects, including a climate-friendly steel mill that revitalized Puertollano’s economy. His spouse, Mercè Camprubí Montal, 40, was also a successful executive at Siemens Energy, where she worked as a global commercialization manager. She came from a prominent Barcelona clan with deep ties to FC Barcelona, as her grandfather and great-grandfather had both served as presidents of the legendary football club.
The couple’s three children—Agustín (10), Mercè (8), and Víctor (4)—were full of life, often pictured in photos skiing, traveling, or simply laughing together. Heartbreaking images posted by the tour company just before the flight showed the kids bundled in winter coats, their bright eyes filled with excitement as they prepared for what should have been a thrilling adventure over Manhattan’s skyline.
One photo even captured their youngest, Víctor, sitting in the cockpit with the pilot, grinning ear to ear. The five of them had just arrived in New York earlier that day, staying at the Hotel Riu Plaza in Times Square, and this helicopter tour was their first activity, a special treat for Mercè’s birthday.
Witnesses described the horrifying moment the Bell 206 helicopter disintegrated in the sky. Avi Rakesh, who filmed the crash, saw the rotor blade detach before the chopper flipped and plummeted near the Holland Tunnel. Despite rescue efforts, two of the passengers were pulled alive from the freezing water but later died at the hospital. Debris, including a pink sneaker belonging to one of the children, floated in the river as emergency crews worked through the night to recover the wreckage.
The helicopter’s owner, Michael Roth, said the pilot had radioed about needing fuel just minutes before the crash, but experts speculated a catastrophic mechanical failure, possibly a bird strike or rotor blade malfunction, caused the tragedy.
The news sent shockwaves through Spain, where Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called it an “unimaginable tragedy.” In Puertollano, the mayor mourned the loss of “one of its most brilliant sons,” while in Barcelona, their absence left a void in their tight-knit community. Agustín’s former colleague, Juan Ignacio Díaz, remembered him as a devoted man who “never forgot what mattered most.”
Siemens released a statement expressing profound grief, and colleagues worldwide shared memories of the couple’s kindness and professionalism.
