(foto: Getty Images)
A sightseeing helicopter flight in New York ended in heartbreak as Merce Camprubi, granddaughter of former Barcelona president Joana Camprubi, and her family lost their lives in a fatal crash.
A devastating helicopter crash over the Hudson River has claimed the lives of a Spanish family with deep ties to FC Barcelona. The tragic accident occurred on Thursday, just minutes after takeoff during a sightseeing tour in New York City.
Though three people were initially pulled from the wreckage alive, all later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. The victims have been identified as Augustin Escobar, Merce Camprubi, and their three children.
Merce Camprubi was the granddaughter of Joana Camprubi, the former president of FC Barcelona, who led the club between 1969 and 1977. Her brother, Joan Camprubi Jr., is a known figure in Catalan football politics and heads the Som un Clam platform, which openly criticizes the club’s current leadership and president Joan Laporta.
CNN reports that the cause of the accident is still under investigation. The flight was operated by Liberty Helicopters, a company that has now been linked to three such crashes in recent years — raising further questions about safety standards.
The incident has sent shockwaves through both Spain and the wider football community. Many in Barcelona have expressed condolences and support for the Camprubi family, whose legacy is closely intertwined with the club’s history.
As the investigation continues, the memory of those lost — and the grief of a club and a city — remains painfully raw.