A vacationer couple subsequent in line behind a Spanish household that died in a Hudson River helicopter crash mentioned guests to New York would possibly begin pondering twice about taking flights across the metropolis.
“We are really shocked. I was shaking,” mentioned Melissa Maertem, 23, who’s visiting Manhattan from the Netherlands together with her associate, Melissa Bos, 24. “It could have been us. We saw the helicopter take off, and when you think back, like, oh, that’s the helicopter we saw. It’s really, really hard to understand.”
Martem and Bos have been standing in line behind Agustin Escobar, his spouse, Mercè Camprubí and their three younger kids who perished together with their pilot when the helicopter they have been renting plunged into the icy Hudson River Thursday afternoon.
Fb
Agustin Escobar, his spouse, Merce Camprubi Montal, with two of their three kids are pictured in an undated picture. The household was killed in a helicopter crash on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Fb)
The 2 ladies echoed what photographs of the tragic household revealed, that they have been enthusiastic about their journey of their closing moments earlier than the helicopter left the bottom.
‘“They were really happy,” Martem mentioned. “They were going on a helicopter flight.”
Martem was excited, too. She and Bos had booked their aerial tour about six months in the past for about $600 for the pair, and mentioned they have been actually trying ahead to the experience.
She mentioned they arrived on the downtown heliport early for his or her 4:45 flight, and mentioned it grew to become clear fairly quickly that one thing had gone improper.
Julian Roberts-Grmela / New York Day by day Information
Dutch vacationers Melissa Maertem (left) and Melissa Bos are pictured on the Downtown Manhattan Heliport on Friday, April 11, 2025. (Julian Roberts-Grmela / New York Day by day Information)
Martem mentioned she noticed workers within the heliport pacing, making cellphone calls and performing nervous. She mentioned the bustling exercise went on for about quarter-hour earlier than they have been lastly informed flights have been canceled for the day.
“We’re asking, like, what’s happening. And then they said, ‘Something happened,’” she mentioned. “‘There’s been an accident, and we can’t take the flights anymore.’ So I was asking, like, ‘Are they okay?’ And they told me, one is not. But we heard later, all six of them [had died].”
Martem mentioned they returned to their lodge and noticed the protection of the crash on TV. “We saw pictures … of the family and [realized] ‘wow … that’s the one we saw [at the heliport]. It’s really, really hard.”
Gardiner Anderson / New York Day by day Information
The mangled wreckage of a helicopter is lifted from the Hudson River in Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Gardiner Anderson / New York Day by day Information)
Martem mentioned that they had thought of rescheduling their experience earlier than deciding on the refund:
“We talked about it a lot, but we’re too afraid now,” she mentioned, fearing a potential upkeep concern. “That’s why we’re scared, like maybe the other helicopters have that too.”
She mentioned she doubts that they’re the one ones.
“Maybe tourists will think about it differently,” Martem mentioned. “However perhaps it’s like, I don’t know, a hen strike, after which they will’t do something about it.
Gardiner Anderson / New York Day by day Information
A shoe is seen floating close to the scene of a helicopter crash within the Hudson River in Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey after on Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Gardiner Anderson / New York Day by day Information)
Martem mentioned they’ll attempt to go on with their trip, however will probably be exhausting.
They’ve already been to the Edge sky deck in Hudson Yards, and took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Their agenda features a Knicks recreation, a Yankee recreation and a visit to the highest of the Empire State Constructing.
“So you still have, like, feeling up above,” she mentioned. “It’s not worth the helicopter flight right now.”
