FAA: Helicopter Tour Company Involved in NYC Fatal Crash to Cease Operations Immediately

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will launch an immediate review of the New York Helicopter Tours’ license and safety record.

NYPD scuba divers team search next to the site of a crashed helicopter on the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J., on April 11, 2025. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

The helicopter tour company involved in the fatal crash over New York City’s Hudson River on April 10 will cease operations immediately, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Sunday.

The FAA said on April 13 it is launching an immediate review of New York Helicopter Tours’ license and safety record in the aftermath of the crash that killed the pilot and a family of five visiting from Spain.

The aviation regulator also stated that it will continue to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigation into the fatal crash.

“Safety is the FAA’s number one priority, and we will not hesitate to act to protect the flying public,” the FAA said in a statement, adding that it will host a helicopter safety panel on April 22 to discuss its findings.

Prior to the announcement, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged the FAA to revoke the company’s operating certificate and to suspend all its flights until the investigation is complete.

Schumer also urged the regulator to step up ramp inspections of other helicopter tour companies to prevent similar incidents from happening.

“So many lives depend on getting this right,” the senator stated on social media platform X after holding a press conference on the crash.

New York Helicopter Tours did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.

The company said in a statement published on its website that it is “profoundly saddened by the tragic accident” involving one of its helicopters and that it was cooperating with the authorities.

New York Helicopter Tours affirmed that the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew have always been “the cornerstone” of its operations.

“Our immediate focus is supporting the families and their loved ones affected by this tragedy, as well as fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB investigations. These agencies have asked us to respect the investigative process by referring all press inquiries to them for any further comment,” it stated. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”

The victims killed in the crash were Agustin Escobar, CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, as well as his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children aged 4, 5, and 11. The pilot, identified as Seankese Johnson, a Navy veteran, was also killed.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said in a social media post that Escobar was in New York on a business trip and extended the trip after his family flew out to celebrate Camprubi Montal’s 40th birthday.

Based on flight tracking software, the aircraft flew south before turning to fly north along the Manhattan shoreline up the Hudson River. At 3:08 p.m., the helicopter reached the George Washington Bridge and then turned again to fly south along the New Jersey shoreline. Shortly after, the helicopter lost control and plunged into the Hudson River.

Federal officials have requested the public to provide video and images that could assist in their investigation into the helicopter crash. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said that any footage could be useful for their probe.

Homendy told reporters during an April 11 press conference that the agency has previously called for regulations governing private air tour operators.

“We have issued recommendations in the past on recorders, crash-resistant recorders. We’ve issued numerous regular recommendations on safety management systems, in particular regulations for Part 91,” she said.

Part 91 focuses on general aviation and flight rules. In February 2021, the agency held a public board meeting to review those recommendations for stricter regulatory requirements for air tour operators.

According to a February 2021 statement, the NTSB said that sightseeing flights are “not subject to the same maintenance, airworthiness, and operational requirements as other commercial flight operations.”

Rachel Acenas contributed to this report.