Pictured: Smiling birthday girl, 8, before helicopter plunged into river killing pilot and family of five
by Alice Padgett · LBCBy Alice Padgett
At least three children and three adults have died after a helicopter crashed in the Hudson River, the mayor of New York has confirmed.
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It comes as the victims have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and the couple's three children.
The family were from Spain, visiting the city and taking part in a sightseeing trip at the time of the incident.
It has been revealed that the excursion was a birthday gift for the girl, aged 8, pictured smiling before the helicopter took off.
The tragic incident occurred in lower Manhattan near the shore, close to Pier 40, across the river from New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon.
All six bodies have now been recovered from the river.
Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, with the other two victims pronounced dead at an area hospital.
The pilot, who has not yet been formally identified, called base minutes before the incident to say that he was landing and needed fuel, the owner of the tour operator New York Helicopter Michael Roth told The Telegraph.
"It should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn't arrive," Roth, 71, said.
Roth started to worry when he received phone messages before one of his other pilots flew over the Hudson and saw the helicopter upside down.
"We're all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying," he said.
New York mayor Eric Adams said the flight began at a downtown heliport around 3pm, and the dead, including three children, had been recovered and removed from the water.
The flight, which took the aircraft north along the Manhattan skyline and then back south toward the Statue of Liberty, lasted less than 18 minutes.
Witness Bruce Wall said he saw the helicopter "falling apart" in midair, with the tail and propeller coming off.
Dani Horbiak was at her home in Jersey City, New Jersey, when she heard what sounded like "several gunshots in a row, almost, in the air".
It comes as images emerged of the family aboard the aircraft shortly before the tragedy occurred.
She looked out her window and saw the chopper "splash in several pieces into the river".
he helicopter was spinning uncontrollably with "a bunch of smoke coming out" before it slammed into the water, said Lesly Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Video of the crash showed parts of the chopper tumbling through the air into the water.
Other videos posted to social media following the crash show the aircraft mostly submerged, upside down in the water.
Witnesses say they could see the aircraft was in trouble before it went down - with some saying it broke apart in mid-air.
The New York Fire Department said it received a report of a helicopter in the water at 3.17pm local time.
It confirmed units were on scene and performing rescue operations, it added.
A New York City Police spokesperson said police boats were assisting in the rescue efforts on the Hudson, but details such as how many people were on board were not immediately available.
News video of the crash site showed several emergency and police boats circling around a patch of river where the helicopter was submerged.
The accident took place in the river, close to the city's renowned creative Tribeca neighbourhood.
New York police said residents should expect emergency vehicles and traffic delays in the surrounding areas.
In response to the tragedy, US Senator Cory Booker said: "Heartbroken for the victims of the helicopter crash in the Hudson River... I’m grateful for the swift action by emergency responders."