A Navy Seal veteran who piloted the helicopter that plummeted into New York City’s Hudson River made a chilling call before the disaster.
Agustín Escobar and Mercè Camprubí Montal had travelled to the US from Spain with their three children, Agustín, 10, Mercè, eight, and Víctor, four, to celebrate Ms Camprubí’s birthday.
All were killed as the aircraft broke apart above the waters off Manhattan.
Seankese ‘Sean’ Johnson, 36, has since been identified as the pilot of the aircraft.
It has been revealed by the owner of doomed helicopter that the pilot had radioed base to say they were returning to the helipad to refuel.
Michael Roth told The Telegraph: “He called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he did not arrive.”
The 71-year-old owns a company which provides helicopter tours of the city called New York Helicopter.
“We are all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying.
“I got a call from my manager and my downtown heliport and she said she heard there was a crash, and then my phone blew up from everybody.
“Then one of my pilots flew over the Hudson and saw the helicopter upside down.”
The tragedy took place at around 3.15pm on Thursday, April 10, closer to the New Jersey side.
Radar data shows it flew north along the Manhattan skyline and then back south toward the Statue of Liberty.
Johnson was behind the controls of the chopper for just 15 minutes after taking off when it smashed into the river at high speed.
Footage showed its rotor ripping off as the craft nose-dived into the water, debris hurtling through the air.
The disaster is under investigation, but an official cause has still not been confirmed.
A Nigerian man, Remi Adeleke, who mentored the late pilot, has gone on Instagram to mourn him.
See below.
