40-year-old Sonia Marra was killed in Tuesday's crash, which critically injured her mother and partner. The pilot and her stepfather suffered just minor injuries.
The statement says, "Sonia Marra's father, Paul Nicholson,and her sisters Amanda Moore and Annie Nicholson, would like to issue the following statement:
"We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the rescue teams who acted with great courage, and also to hospital staff at Bellevue Hospital Center and the NYPD, for their compassion, kindness and great care. We have felt protected and cared for in a way we will never forget.
Sonia was loving her first experience of New York, the city and its people. She was incredibly happy to be here and it gives us some comfort to remember that. We are a strong family and will cope with our loss in our own way.
The pilot, Paul Dudley is a family friend, who acted with great bravery in the rescue.
The team of specialists at Bellevue continue to provide the best care for Helen and Harriet, who are in a critical condition."