A FAMILY of top scientists and former student athletes have been identified as the victims of a New York plane crash that left six people dead. 

Neuroscientist Michael Groff, urologist Joy Saini, and their daughter, Karenna, a former soccer star, tragically lost their lives when the private plane they were on crashed into a muddy field on Saturday.

Karenna’s boyfriend James Santoro, as well as Groff’s son Jared and his partner Alexia Couyutas Duarte were also killed in the tragedy.

They died when they were heading to a birthday and Passover gathering, as reported by the New York Post.

The family, on board a Mitsubishi MU-2B plane, were en-route to Columbia County Airport in Hudson, New York, before it crashed on Saturday.

It was only 10 miles away from the airport when it smashed into the field in Copake at around 12:15pm local time.

The family had left Westchester County Airport in White Plains in Westchester County.

Karenna, who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2022, was an avid soccer star and sports fan.

Karenna was honored as the NCAA Woman of the Year in 2022, and just months afterward, she had the opportunity to throw the first pitch at Fenway Park before the Boston Red Sox’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.