Hudson River helicopter crash: Tragic New York passenger's close links to FC Barcelona

The Spanish mum-of-three killed along with her tech boss husband in is related to two former presidents, including one who brought to the club.

Merce Camprubí Montal was the great-granddaughter of Augusti Montal Galobart, ’s president from 1946 to 1952, and the granddaughter of Augusti Montal Costa, who was in charge of the Catalan club from 1969 to 1977.

The Spanish economist and businessman, a member of an important family of Catalan cotton textile manufacturers, signed soccer great Cruyff from Ajax in 1973 for a then-world record fee which in today’s money would be around £130million.

Like her husband Augustin Escobar, Merce also worked for Siemens. She described herself online as Siemens Energy’s global commercialist manager.

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Merce joined Siemens as a sales manager for her native Catalonia region in April 2009 and spent two years as a management consultant for the firm in the States between January 2011 and January 2013 when she was based in Manhattan.

Her husband, who has also lived in the past in New York, was the CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility after leaving his former presidential post in October last year. In a LinkedIn post written four weeks ago, he spoke about visiting the UK to see Siemens’ work first-hand.

The couple died along with their children, aged four, five and 11, and the helicopter’s pilot. Video footage showed the helicopter losing control after turning at the George Washington Bridge to move along the New Jersey shoreline before falling into the Hudson River.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said an investigation into the crash will be led by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Tributes were being paid today by fellow business leaders following the tragedy. Strategic global account executive Jon Alfaro wrote online: “My heart goes out to the Siemens organisation for their loss. My condolences to the Escobar family.”

Lufti ilteris Oney, a 1WorldSync boss, wrote: “You and your family rest in peace… Deepest condolences to friends and all Siemens family.” Consultant Barbara Coward: “I'm so sorry for this terrible loss. My heart goes out to family, friends, colleagues and former classmates at IE Business School.”

Richard Huntington, co-founder at XYZ Energy Group, added: “May you and your family find everlasting peace. Prayers and condolences to friends and family left behind.”

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez wrote on X: “The news reaching us today of the helicopter crash in the Hudson River is devastating. Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives. An unimaginable tragedy. I share in the grief of the victims' loved ones at this heartbreaking time.”