Yesterday a tragic helicopter accident happened that left 6 people dead in the Hudson River and more news is starting to come out about the victims.
The pilot of the helicopter that crashed with a family of five aboard was a 36-year-old Navy veteran from the Chicago Area who had recently moved to New York City to continue his aviation career.
According to ABC News, the helicopter crashed around 3:15 p.m. Thursday, about 15 minutes after departing from a lower Manhattan heliport. It flew up the west side of Manhattan, turned around near the George Washington Bridge and was heading south when it plummeted upside down into a shallow stretch of the river near Jersey City, New Jersey.
The U.S. Navy confirmed Johnson was a veteran, who enlisted in the Navy in 2006, and served until November 2018, rising to the rank of gunner’s mate 2nd class.
He underwent recruit training at Naval Station Great Lakes, and during his time in the Navy, he served at facilities in San Diego, and Pensacola, Florida. He also served aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, from April 2007 through October 2011.
The crash killed pilot Seankese “Sean” Johnson and a family of five Spanish tourists; Siemens Mobility executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Comprubi who was an executive with Siemens Energy, and their three young children under the age of 11.
