All six passengers on board a tour aircraft, including a Hispanic family of five, and the captain, a former US military member, were killed when the aircraft crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday.
The investigation is still in its early stages under the leadership of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB ). Specialists claim the plane split in midair and that some crucial components are still missing.
This event is just one of a number of aviation accidents that have occurred in recent months in the US, raising questions about air travel safety.
a tragic accident of magnitude
Less than 20 minutes after takeoff from a Manhattan airport, the accident occurred.
Witnesses described the plane crashing into the Hudson River and components falling into the plane before the aircraft poured into the water. Fishermen and rescue vessels rushed to the scene and had recovered the aircraft by night.
New York Helicopter, a manufacturer of helicopters, claimed it had no idea what caused the collision.
Who were the subjects, exactly?
Agustin Escobar, a 49-year-old Siemens professional, his family Mercè Camprubi Montal, 39, and their four children, Mercedes, 8, and Agustin, 10, were identified as the customers. They had traveled to New York with Escobar on a business trip.
Seankese Johnson, a 36-year-old military veteran who just immigrated to New York, was the aircraft. He had 800 trip hours logged and obtained his business license in 2023.
What took place?
Investigators have so far no established the cause of the mid-air divorce. According to Associated Press, the NTSB chair stated that they would not assume because parts like the transmission and rotors are still missing.
However, experts believe that the main blades hit the tail, causing the aircraft to break off, as a result of a mechanical failure. A lawyer for aerospace law noted that the movie suggests a catastrophic failure that prevented the pilot from gaining control of the aircraft.
The owner of New York Helicopter admitted he was confused, adding that” these are models, and they break.”
A disturbed business’s record
New York Helicopter has a troubled history. In 2013, one of its planes went out of energy, despite the pilot’s careful landing on the Hudson.
It has recently declared bankruptcy and is still battling claims for unpaid debts.
The plane that was involved in the collision on Thursday was built in 2004 and had a transmission problem that was identified as occurring in 2023. It logged more than 12, 700 flight time, according to FAA data.
Aviation security is being looked at.
This is the most recent alarming pattern. At least 38 people have died in aircraft crashes in New York City since 1977. Five people were killed in an East River collapse in 2018 and one was killed in a top collision in 2019. In other US locations, recent weeks have seen numerous fatal accidents, including a midair collision and a skilled helicopter crash.
