Following the deadly helicopter crash in the Hudson River last Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced significant actions concerning New York Helicopter Tours, the operator of the aircraft involved. The FAA stated on Monday that New York Helicopter Tours would cease its operations immediately. In addition to this, the agency will launch an “immediate review” of the tour operator’s license and overall safety record.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Initial reports described a harrowing scene, with witnesses observing the helicopter flipping and spiraling before crashing near the New Jersey shoreline upside down. The impact scattered debris across the river.

The helicopter had six individuals on board. Among them were Agustín Escobar and Mercè Camprubí, a married couple, along with their three children. Both Escobar and Camprubí held significant positions at Siemens, a German multinational technology conglomerate. Escobar served as the CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, Spain. Camprubí was the global commercialisation manager for Siemens Energy, which became an independent company after spinning off from Siemens AG in 2020, according to her LinkedIn profile.

The pilot has been identified as Seankese Johnson, a 36-year-old former US Navy SEAL. Johnson was certified to fly commercial helicopters in August 2023 and had logged 788 hours of flight time, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Federal aviation authorities revealed that New York Helicopter Tours had been involved in two prior safety incidents. The NTSB also noted that the helicopter was not equipped with flight data recorders, including video or camera recorders. Furthermore, none of the onboard avionics recorded information that could assist in the investigation. The helicopter’s last major inspection was conducted on March 1, and it had completed seven tour flights before the accident.

The FAA is currently analyzing airplane/helicopter hotspots nationwide and plans to host an informative panel to discuss its findings related to broader helicopter safety.