A Siemens executive, Agustín Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubí Montal, and their three young children, aged 4, 5, and 11, were among the six victims who died when a tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City on Thursday afternoon.

The family, who were visiting from Barcelona, Spain, perished alongside the helicopter’s 36-year-old pilot, whose identity has not yet been released.

Law enforcement officials confirmed the family’s identities to ABC News following the tragic incident.

The helicopter, operated by New York Helicopters, took off from the Wall Street Heliport at 2:59 pm local time and crashed into the Hudson River around 3:17 pm, off River Drive in Hoboken, New Jersey. It was the aircraft’s sixth flight of the day, according to officials.

Rescue divers located the Bell 206 helicopter upside-down in the cold, 50-degree water. Despite quick emergency efforts, all six people on board were confirmed dead — four at the scene and two later in the hospital.

The crash has led to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board to determine the cause. Video footage captured the helicopter flipping in the air before it rapidly descended into the river, shortly after passing the George Washington Bridge and attempting to turn south.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences on social media, calling the incident “devastating.”

“Five Spaniards from the same family, three of them children, and the pilot have lost their lives. An unimaginable tragedy. I sympathise with the victims’ loved ones at this heartbreaking time,” Sánchez wrote on X.

Escobar, a prominent leader in Siemens’ mobility and transport division, was highly regarded for his leadership. Miguel Ángel López, former head of Siemens Spain, once referred to Escobar as “the best possible successor,” praising his contributions as “key to Siemens’ success.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed condolences during a press briefing, saying, “Our hearts go out to the family and those on board.”

The tragedy echoes the recent loss of Nigerian banking executive Herbert Wigwe, who died in February 2024 in a helicopter crash in California. He was accompanied by his wife, son, and former Nigerian Exchange Group chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo.