Who was Agustín Escobar? Siemens CEO killed with family in NYC helicopter crash

A sightseeing trip over New York turned tragic on Thursday after a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing six people — including a high-profile executive of Siemens, one of Europe’s largest technology firms.
Agustín Escobar died in the crash alongside his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children, aged 4, 5, and 11, ABC News reported. The pilot also lost his life.
Escobar had led Siemens Spain since 2022 and also served as the Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, according to a company press release.
Siemens is a German-based multinational company that operates in sectors including energy, industry, transport and healthcare technology. Its rail and mobility division, where Escobar held a global leadership role, is involved in projects related to rail systems, infrastructure, and transport technology in various countries.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Escobar had over 25 years of experience running international operations across the US, South America, Germany, and Spain. Based in Barcelona, he had landed in New York with his family only hours before their flight with New York Helicopter Tours.
Miguel Ángel López, the former head of Siemens Spain, said Escobar’s contributions had been “key” to the company’s transport and mobility success. “With Agustín Escobar we have the best possible successor to lead, from now on, the company in Spain,” López said in a previous statement, reports ABC. “In recent years his work has been key to Siemens’ success in the field of mobility and transport.”
Photos from just before takeoff show the family smiling and warmly dressed for the weather, according to the New York Post.
The Bell 206 helicopter took off from Wall Street Heliport shortly after 3 pm and made it as far as the George Washington Bridge before things went wrong. Eyewitnesses told the Post that a section of the rotor broke off mid-air. The chopper spiralled and crashed into the freezing waters of the Hudson River near Pier 40 in Manhattan. Rescue teams found it upside-down, submerged in the river.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
New York Mayor Eric Adams and US President Donald Trump offered their condolences to the victims after the crash.