Netizens are breaking their silence on the tragic incident where a helicopter carrying a family of five crashed in the Hudson River and killed everyone on board, including the pilot.

The family was said to be spending their holidays in New York City after traveling from Spain. It was their daughter’s birthday, which went from happy to tragic in minutes.

The pilot, who was identified as a former Navy SEAL with so many flight hours under his belt, had made a tragic mayday call, five minutes before the helicopter crashed.

The company handling the vehicle’s operations says the pilot had called to return in a few minutes because he was running short on fuel, leaving many baffled. Why was the vehicle allowed to take off with an empty tank? asked one netizen.

Videos were shared where the helicopter was seen splitting into two parts mid-air and tumbling down towards the water.

Just off the tip of Lower Manhattan, a loud bang and then a mighty splash arose, as described by witnesses. Now the exact cause of the crash is yet to be revealed as investigations are taking place on this front.

After information about the pilot’s message to dispatch was shared, netizens mentioned that it all sounds a little fishy and there was more to the situation than what was being revealed.