Helicopter pilot’s chilling final call moments before plunging into the Hudson

The tragedy claimed the lives of three children and their parents.

On Thursday, a helicopter malfunctioned and crashed into New York's Hudson River claiming the life of Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and three children, as well as the pilot.

It has now been revealed that the pilot of the aircraft warned that they were out of fuel just before the crash happenned.

Calls were made to emergency services at 3:17 pm, just 17 minutes after the helicopter took off from Manhattan.

The owner of New York Helicopter, who provided the tour and helicopter, revealed that the aircraft needed fuel.

Michael Roth told the Telegraph: "He [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.

"We're all devastated. Every employee in our company is devastated. My wife has not stopped crying.

"The death of the child of any human being is a monumental disaster."

Roth received several phone messages before one of his other pilots spotted "the helicopter upside down" while flying over the Hudson.

Witnesses said that they saw the helicopter "split in half" as it crashed towards the river.