NEW YORK (Diya TV) — A sightseeing helicopter flight meant to mark a joyous family celebration ended in tragedy Thursday when a chopper plunged into the Hudson River, killing all six people on board — including a Spanish family of five and their American pilot.

The victims were identified as Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive in Spain, his wife, Merce Camprubí Montal, and their three children, ages 11, 8, and 4. According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, the family had just arrived in New York City from Barcelona to celebrate one of their children’s birthdays and the mother’s 40th.

“They were celebrating the mom’s 40th birthday with the tourist helicopter flight,” Fulop wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He noted that Escobar was in the city on business, and his family joined to extend the trip for a few days.

The pilot, identified as 36-year-old Navy SEAL veteran Sean Johnson, also died in the crash.

The Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, took off from a Manhattan heliport Thursday afternoon. The aircraft flew past the Statue of Liberty, then traveled up the Hudson River toward the George Washington Bridge before turning back south, officials said.

About 16 minutes into the flight, Johnson radioed that the helicopter was running low on fuel, law enforcement sources told The New York Post. Moments later, the chopper broke apart midair, sending pieces spiraling into the river. One video clip shows the aircraft’s rotor blades separated from the body as it fell.

Four people died at the scene. Two others were transported to area hospitals, where they were pronounced dead shortly after, according to the FDNY.

Recovery operations began immediately and continued into Friday as dive teams worked to retrieve the helicopter’s wreckage from the murky waters. The aircraft was owned and operated by New York Helicopter, a private tour company that offers aerial views of the New York City skyline.

Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, expressed deep sorrow in an interview with The Post.

“I’m a father and a grandfather, and to have children on there, I’m devastated. I’m absolutely devastated,” Roth said. “The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down is that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter.”

Roth said he had never seen anything like this in more than 30 years in the helicopter industry and speculated that the rotor failure might have resulted from a bird strike or mechanical failure, but emphasized that the cause remains unclear.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident. Fuel exhaustion, rotor failure, and structural integrity will likely be central to their probe.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the incident “devastating,” mourning the loss of “five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children,” in a message posted on X.

Former President Donald Trump also reacted, writing on Truth Social that “the footage of the accident is horrendous” and offering prayers for the victims’ families.

Mayor Adams said the flight appeared to be part of a typical sightseeing experience.

“It’s just a real unfortunate situation,” Adams told FOX 5 New York. “And our heart goes out to the family members.”

Jersey City officials are working with the Medical Examiner’s Office to expedite the return of the victims’ bodies to Spain.