The haunting final words of the pilot at the controls of the helicopter that crashed into New York City’s Hudson River have come to light.

On Thursday afternoon, a sightseeing helicopter went down in the Hudson River across from Manhattan.

Authorities confirmed that all six people on board perished, including three young children, marking it as the city’s most fatal helicopter accident in the past seven years.

The victims have been identified as a Spanish family: Agustín Escobar, Global CEO of Rail Infrastructure at Siemens Mobility; his wife, Mercè Camprubí; and their three children, aged 11, five, and four. They were reportedly marking a birthday celebration when the tragedy unfolded.

Moments before the crash, the family appeared joyful, posing for pictures beside the helicopter with bright smiles.

The pilot’s identity has not been made public.

Disturbing footage captured the aircraft spinning out of control before slamming into the river near Jersey City, New Jersey.

Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise and noted that the helicopter appeared to hit the water missing at least one of its rotor blades.

Lesly Camacho, who works at a nearby restaurant along the river, described the horrifying scene: “There was a bunch of smoke coming out. It was spinning pretty fast, and it landed in the water really hard.”

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that divers were able to retrieve all six passengers from the helicopter, which had flipped upside down upon impact.

“Four victims were pronounced dead on scene, and two more were removed to local area hospitals, where sadly both succumbed to their injuries,” she said.

The helicopter, a Bell 206 model, was part of a popular sightseeing tour offering aerial views of New York City.