Officials have confirmed eight people have died and at least 11 are injured and being treated in hospital after the incident in Manhattan

Victims of New York attack include five Argentinian friends on school reunion

Five friends from Argentina celebrating the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation are among those killed in the deadly New York terrorist attack on Tuesday.

Argentina’s foreign ministry confirmed the identities of the victims, all from the city of Rosario in central Argentina.

Eight people killed in New York 'act of terror' after truck drives on to bike path Read more

The men were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their graduation from school when they were caught up in the deadly terror attack that has claimed the lives of at least eight people.

The Argentinian government released a statement expressing “its sincere condolences for the death of Hernán Diego Mendoza, Diego Enrique Angelini, Alejandro Damián Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernán Ferruchi.”

The statement said the five deaths were “a result of the dramatic terrorist attack in New York this afternoon”.

It continued: “A sixth victim, Martin Ludovico Marro, is hospitalised at the Presbyterian Hospital of Manhattan recovering from injuries suffered, out of danger according to the official medical part.

“The compatriots, from the city of Rosario, were part of a group of friends celebrating the 30th anniversary of their graduation from the polytechnic school of that city when the tragic event occurred.

“The consulate general continues working in permanent contact with the police authorities and the hospital that received the affected, as well as with the relatives in Argentina. We accompany the families in this terrible moment of deep pain, which all Argentines share.”

Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri later tweeted: “Profoundly moved by the tragic deaths this afternoon in NY. We place ourselves at the disposition of the families of the Argentinian victims.”

Mauricio Macri (@mauriciomacri) Profundamente conmovido por las trágicas muertes de esta tarde en NY. Nos ponemos a disposición de los familiares de las víctimas argentinas

Erlij, a 48-year-old businessman, had already been confirmed as among the victims.

The group was part of a class of 1987 reunion.

Local media in Argentina reported that Erlij, who owned a steel mill, paid the fares of some of his schoolmates in order for them to be able to make the trip to the US with him.

Play Video 2:22 Eight people killed after truck drives on to New York bike path – video report

The news came after the Belgian government confirmed one of its citizens was killed in the truck attack.

Belgium’s deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister Didier Reynders said a Belgian was among those who lost their lives when a truck ploughed into cyclists and pedestrians in Manhattan.

The victim, a woman from the town of Roeselare, was on a city trip with her sister and mother, Reynders told local media.

Reynders said that three other Belgians were “also wounded” in the attack, and were “in the operating room”.

Local media are reporting that the three are a mother, father and son.

The father of 32-year-old Darren Drake, who grew up in New Milford, New Jersey, said his son was one of the dead, and had been out for a bike ride between meetings when the truck hit him. Jimmy Drake said that “while other people would take cigarette or coffee breaks, he would go out and ride the bike for 15 or 20 minutes.”

At least eight people were killed and about a dozen more injured, including two school children on a school bus, when a man drove a truck onto a bike path near New York’s World Trade Centre site.

On Twitter, Reynders said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of the death of a Belgian citizen.

didier reynders (@dreynders) I am deeply saddened to announce a belgian victim in #Manhattan - I express my condolences to the family and friends 🇧🇪🇺🇸

Earlier a statement from the Argentine consulate in New York said it was working with local officials to identify the victims adding it “is deeply shocked” by what happened.

Jorge Faurie (@JorgeFaurie) Estamos conmocionados por los sucesos en Nueva York. Trabajamos con las autoridades locales para identificar a nuestros compatriotas.

“Argentina reaffirms its strongest condemnation of terrorist acts and violence in all its manifestations and reiterates the need to deepen the fight against this scourge,” the statement said.