City officials and New Yorkers around the city are reacting Friday to a tragic helicopter crash in the Hudson River that killed all six people on board, including three children. A topic now on the table is whether “non-essential” aircraft should be permitted to fly in the skies of NYC.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said they would lead the investigation of the April 10 Bell 206 sight-seeing helicopter crash. But in the meantime, the horrific incident is reigniting an ongoing battle to stop tour guiding and similar “non-essential” flights in NYC.
The victims of yesterday’s crash included a family of five from Spain: Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Comprubi Montal and their three children, ages 4, 5 and 11. Rescue workers recovered the bodies of the family and pilot of the aircraft, officials said during a press conference about the tragedy.
Agustin Escobar was an executive at Siemens Mobility, a division of a global industrial company.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend, Agustin Escobar, and his beloved family,” a statement from Siemens read. “Agustin was the CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Agustin’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. We will miss him and his family immensely.”
Mayor Eric Adams expressed his condolences to the families of those who were lost.
“Our hearts go out to the family of those who were on board,” he said following the crash.
As the investigation into what caused the crash continues, heavy discussion about the future of aerial sightseeing tours has been pushed into the spotlight.
Even before Thursday’s crash, elected officials in the city, along with fellow New Yorkers, have pushed for a ban on all “non-essential” helicopter flights in NYC. Safety concerns and flight noise have been cited as reasons for a potential ban.
In fact, amNew York reported a year ago that the city’s 311 system received more than 59,000 complaints about helicopter noise in 2023, more than double from the previous year.
30,000 tourist flights from Downtown Manhattan
NYC Council Member Christopher Marte said Thursday’s incident was “wholly preventable” and urged the feds to ban tour helicopters.
“Each one of these people could still be with us if our federal government took action to ban a completely unnecessary industry that continues to put lives at risk,” Marte said. “Helicopters should be reserved for emergency response, essential news coverage and public safety operations—not sightseeing or luxury travel.”
He added that federal action is needed because tour helicopters take off in multiple states and fly over NYC.
“One of the biggest challenges I have faced while trying to address this issue in the City Council is that many of these helicopters take off from across the river in New Jersey, outside of New York City’s jurisdiction,” he explained. “That’s why we need federal action—urgently—to regulate this industry, close loopholes, and put public safety ahead of profit.”
According to Stop the Chop NY/NJ, a group that wants to end non-essential helicotper flights, nearly 30,000 tourists flights take off from the heliport in Downtown Manhattan each year. Even more flights take off from nearby heliports, including one located at E. 34th Street. On the group’s website, “non-essential” helicopter flights refer to tourist, commuter, charter and corporate and non-professional photographer flights.
There has been over 30 NYC helicopter crashes since 1980, according to Stop the Chop.
A call for an “immediate moratorium on non-essential helicopter flights”
NYC Council Majority Leader Amanda Farias, who has been vocal about “unchecked operation of non-essential helicopter flights,” extended her condolences to the families of the deceased, thanked the rescue workers and called on a reevaluation of the government policies surrounding sight-seeing helicopters.
She is also the lead sponsor of Intro 0026, a city council bill that aims to restrict “non-essential” helicopter operations at the city’s heliports to only those powered by fully electric engines.
“In light of this tragic incident, we must take urgent and bold action,” she said. “I am calling for a serious reevaluation of current policies and am urging the city to consider an immediate moratorium on non-essential helicopter flights from city-owned heliports while investigations are ongoing.”
A spokesperson for NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said New Yorkers’ safety “must always be our priority” and added crash has renewed conversations on the effect and role of helicopter flights.
“The council has in the past expressed concern about flight safety, in addition to issues related to noise and air pollution,” she said. “We will continue to evaluate this issue as further details are uncovered about yesterday’s tragedy, working towards solutions that keep everyone safe.”
Meanwhile, the mayor said during various media interviews on Friday that the investigation into the crash should continue before any decisions are made on policy.
“I think that after any form of malfunction, crash or challenge, you know, sometimes, that’s the immediate thought, we should ban the helicopters, or we should not have this tourism type of attraction in our city,” Adams said. “And I think we should let the investigation go its course and make sure that safety is important.”
He also said that helicopters are part of a big industry that handles transportation for many people, is key for the economy and is a “safe way” of traveling.
“Use of helicopters, I should say, in this city, is more than just tourism. It’s also part of the business of moving our CEOs and executives,” he said. “We have thousands of flights using helicopters and tourism. People want to see the city from the sky.”
He also said that the number of people who die from vehicle crashes is “just astonishing” and does not result in the ban of motor vehicles on the road.
“Air Traffic is a safe way of traveling,” the mayor said. “It is part of our economic ecosystem.”
The NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which recently renamed the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to the Downtown Skyport sent a statement to amNewYork about Thursday’s tragedy.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those involved and we thank our first responders for taking swift action in their rescue and recovery efforts,” the statement read. “NYCEDC, and our operator of the Downtown Skyport facility, will continue to assist in any way possible as the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and other relevant authorities investigate the cause of this devastating incident.”
While politicians and government officials discuss the future of “non-essential” helicopter flights, New Yorkers across the city shared their grief and expressed their condolences to the families of those killed in Thursday’s crash.
“It’s tragic. It should stop,” Eugene from Long Island said. “Your average New Yorker is not up in a helicopter. Fly enough times and tragedies are going to happen.”
Sam Mak, who lives by the South Street Seaport, often passes the heliport during his travels. He said he does not see too many flights there and there is not too much noise in the area.“Then, here and there, we have such disastrous happenings,” he said.
Danielle Aquaviva of Queens said the loss of the family and pilot is “incredibly sad,” adding that her heart goes out to their loved ones.
“As a concerned NYC resident, I am heartbroken and deeply troubled by the tragic helicopter crash that took the lives of a family of five Spanish tourists and the pilot,” she said. “This devastating event is a stark reminder of how fragile life can be and raises serious questions about the safety of sightseeing helicopters in our city.”
