Just moments after a routine call for fuel, a helicopter carrying six people, including a Spanish family on vacation, vanished from radar. “He called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel,” said Michael Roth, owner of New York Helicopter. But minutes later, wreckage was spotted upside down in the Hudson River. All five passengers — Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children — along with the pilot, died in the crash.

The family’s tour had followed a typical sightseeing path: over Governor’s Island, past the Statue of Liberty, and up the Hudson River before turning back. The helicopter crashed shortly after, prompting immediate emergency alerts. “Please keep your eyes open,” one pilot said during the search.

Aviation experts suspect a catastrophic failure. “You’re just a falling brick,” said JP Tristani, suggesting a rotor blade separation could have severed the tail, making the crash unavoidable. The aircraft was airborne for about 16 minutes.

Weather may have played a role, with gusts up to 25 mph and overcast skies. The FAA and NTSB are investigating. Spain’s Prime Minister called the loss “an unimaginable tragedy,” as the global community mourns this devastating accident.