A funeral for the Spanish family of five that died in the Hudson River helicopter crash earlier this month was held in Barcelona Tuesday — with the somber service concluding with a haunting rendition of “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra.
Hundreds of mourners gathered at Sant Vicenç de Sarrià to remember Agustín Escobar and Mercè Camprubí Montal, who died along with their three young children Agustín, 10, Mercè, 9, and Víctor, 4, when the hired chopper broke apart midair and plunged into the New York City waterway on April 10.
The family had been in the Big Apple celebrating the ninth birthday of their middle child when the sudden tragedy struck. A heartbreaking photo taken shortly before their deaths shows the elder Agustín giving a thumbs-up as his wife and children flash excited smiles.
“We have been in pain for the last 11 days, but they will always remain in our memories and remind us from up high to never lose our ability to smile,” Montal’s father, Joan Camprubí, said during the nearly two-hour service.
The church was packed to capacity, with dozens of people watching on screens from outside beneath warm, sunny skies. Among those in attendance were Catalonia’s regional leader, Salvador Illa, and Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni.
Also spotted greeting mourners was Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, the same role Montal’s grandfather once held at the professional Spanish soccer team. Montal worked for Siemens Energy, while Escobar was global CEO of rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility.
Camprubí thanked those in attendance as he and family members shared memories of their departed loved ones and the joy they gave them.
He also mentioned Monday’s death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, saying the late pontiff was a believer in the importance of a “smile and a sense of humor.”
The funeral service ended with a slideshow of the family members at holiday celebrations and other vacations as the iconic Sinatra tune played.
The cause of the helicopter crash — which also killed the pilot, Navy veteran Sean Johnson, 36, — remains under investigation. A National Travel Safety Board spokesman told The Post Tuesday that a preliminary report is expected to be released “about 30 days” from the date of the disaster.
With Post wires
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