Authorities stated Thursday morning they suspect there are no survivors after an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., and plunged into the Potomac River late Wednesday night.
Since no survivors are anticipated, D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly announced Thursday morning that rescue operations would immediately shift to recovery activities. According to him, the bodies of 27 of the 64 passengers on the passenger plane and one from the Black Hawk chopper had already been discovered by first responders.
At a press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated, “We wish we were gathering for different purposes today.” “Until we have solutions for the flying public and their families, we won’t stop. You can be sure that when The crash, which was reported at around 8:48 p.m., prompted a 300-person emergency response from local fire departments, police departments, the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, and the FBI.
Donnelly said that rescue workers faced frigid conditions, including icy water and wind that made the response efforts hazardous.
Duffy added that the two aircraft had been located and that the fuselage of the airplane had been found in about three different locations. He said that an investigation was being launched by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said that he was “absolutely heartbroken” and that “we are all hurting incredibly.” He said it appeared that the helicopter appeared to have veered into the flight path of an American Eagle regional jet, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas.
Some on board were American figure skaters.
“U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C.,” the organization said. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
We have deep sympathy for the families of the victims and are heartbroken by this unimaginable catastrophe. We’ll keep an eye on the issue and provide further details as they become available,” the group continued.
President Donald Trump said that the crash could have been avoided in a message posted on Truth Social overnight.
The aircraft was approaching the airport in a precise and standard path. For a long time, the helicopter was flying directly toward the aircraft. The plane’s lights were blazing, and it was a CLEAR NIGHT. Why didn’t the helicopter turn or go up or down? Instead of inquiring if the helicopter noticed the jet, why didn’t the control tower tell it what to do?
