Sean Johnson, pilot in Hudson River helicopter crash, posted eerie video days before death | Watch

Sean Johnson has been identified as the pilot of the Bell 206 helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday

Updated on: Apr 12, 2025, 24:44:24 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Sean Johnson has been identified as the pilot of the Bell 206 helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday. The 36-year-old had posted an eerie video days before the accident that killed Sieman executive Agustin Escobar and his family.

Sean Johnson was identified as the pilot who died in the Hudson River crash (Facebook/Sean Johnson)

“When it all comes together…,” Johnson wrote in the caption of the video, which showed him in a Bell 206 helicopter. His friends congratulated him in their comments, one saying that he was ‘living the dream’.

Johnson had recently moved to New York City for his aviation career. He was operating a Bell 206 on Thursday. He previously lived in states including Illinois, Virginia, and Montana.

Reacting to the crash on Thursday, Johnson’s wife Kathryn Johnson told Gothamist: “ I'm just at loss for words. I don't even know what happened." She added that the family was still struggling to process his death. “ It's just hard right now.”

‘Always wanted to fly’

Sean Johnson served in the US Navy as a SEAL. He then moved to being a bodyguard for celebrities, his wife further told the publication. She added that he ‘always wanted to fly’.

Sean and Kathryn were separated for the last few months. They last spoke on Wednesday. The pilot's friends and former colleagues took to social media to express their condolences.

“I saw your posts all the time about how much you wanted to be a pilot and how hard you worked to get there. RIP Sean Johnson, another Shipmate gone too soon," one person wrote.

“Sean came from very humble beginnings — but he never let that define or limit him. If anything, it fueled him. He had a quiet determination, a spirit of resilience and a heart that always looked out for others," another one added.

Johnson had taken Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their 4-, 8- and 10-year-old children on a sightseeing tour on Thursday afternoon. Their helicopter crashed around 3:15 PM local time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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