New details have emerged regarding the final moments of the helicopter that plunged into the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon. 

The pilot of the doomed aircraft reportedly radioed about needing to refuel minutes before the helicopter crashed into the chilly waters, according to New York Helicopter Tour CEO Michael Roth, whose company operated the helicopter.

“[The pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph. 

All six people on board – including five members of the same family – did not survive. 

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“The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,” Roth told the New York Post. “I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.”

The five passengers have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, Mercé Camprubi Montal, an energy technology company global manager, and the couple’s three young children, according to The Associated Press.

The pilot’s identity had not been released as of Friday morning. 

Photos posted on the helicopter operator’s website showed the family smiling inside the aircraft moments before it took off. 

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The flight departed a Downtown Manhattan heliport at approximately 3 p.m. and was in the air for about 18 minutes. Bystander footage of the crash shows the aircraft’s rotor detaching from the cabin as it rapidly falls through the air before hitting the water near Jersey City. 

Authorities began receiving 911 calls regarding a helicopter crash in the Hudson River around 3:17 p.m., New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference on Thursday. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter spinning uncontrollably before landing in the water. 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the family was visiting from Spain, adding it is “heartbreaking” that a family traveling to the city became victims of such a tragic accident. 

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“We had over 65 million people that visited our city last year, and just think about it, you’re on a vacation, you’re with your family, you want to experience New York from the sky, and something like this happens. It’s heartbreaking to everyone,” Adams said, in part.

Emergency personnel arrived at the scene within minutes, including divers from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Police Department (NYPD). NYPD drivers pulled four people from the wreckage, while the FDNY recovered two additional people, according to Tisch. 

First responders attempted lifesaving efforts on an adjoining pier, but four people were pronounced dead at the scene and the others were pronounced dead at local hospitals. 

The water temperature in the Hudson River at the time of the crash was in the mid-40s, according to FOX Weather. 

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“The Coast Guard and Army Corps, along with local partners, continue to support the NTSB in their ongoing investigation and debris recovery efforts,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement. 

The helicopter was salvaged hours later, according to the Army Corps of Engineers. 

The incident occurred less than a mile from Manhattan and near the Holland Tunnel, where 15.8 million vehicles travel between New York City and New Jersey per year. Immediately following the crash, the Coast Guard implemented a safety zone around the Holland Tunnel and Hudson River, which remained in effect until 10 p.m. Thursday.

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Roth and New York Helicopter Tours did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

The incident was the first helicopter crash the city has seen since 2019, after an aircraft struck the roof of a skyscraper, killing the pilot. 

“Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard,” Adams said. “It’s almost reminiscent of the plane going down here on the Hudson River. Thank God we didn’t lose any lives back then. It’s still fresh and still new, the investigation is ongoing, and … the family members, we lift them up in prayer.”

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this report.