An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers onboard while attempting to land at Reagan national airport at about 9pm local time on Wednesday evening.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River in freezing conditions, and 300 first responders have been deployed in a search and rescue endeavour.
***
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said that 64 people were in the passenger plane and three in the military helicopter at the time the crash occurred in the skies near Ronald Reagan Airport, AzVision.az reports, citing TASS.
She provided these figures speaking at a press conference, though giving no details on the investigation to be led by the National Transportation Safety Board.
A Bombardier CRJ700 passenger plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter have collided midair near Ronald Reagan National Airport, a 10-15-minute ride from downtown Washington. The plane was performing an American Airlines flight from Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members on board. It crashed into the Potomac River, where a search and rescue operation is currently underway.
At least 19 bodies have been recovered from the river, BNO News reported. CNN stated that after an hour and a half of search efforts, no survivors were found. Earlier, the local NBC office reported that at least four people had been pulled from the river after the crash.
The US Army's Black Hawk military helicopter was performing a training flight, CNN reported. At least three servicemen were aboard the aircraft.
***
A regional plane collided in midair with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night, according to authorities, AzVision.az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
"A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.
The plane, operated by American Airlines, had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, the FAA said.
American Airlines confirmed that there were 60 passengers and four crew members on board.
"American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington, D.C. (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines with a CRJ-700," the airlines said.
White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News that President Donald Trump has been made aware of the incident.
Later, Trump said in a statement that he was fully briefed on the "terrible accident."
"May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders.
"I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise," he said.
The US Army confirmed that the aircraft involved in the incident was an Army UH-60 helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Three US Army soldiers were on board a BlackHawk helicopter, a senior official said, according to reports. The source said no senior officials were on the helicopter.
The Joint Task Force-National Capital Region said the BlackHawk was taking part in a training flight.
Washington, D.C. police said a multi-agency search and rescue operation is underway in the Potomac River following the crash.
Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) said all takeoffs and landings have been halted, adding that "emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open."
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said the plane was carrying roughly 60 passengers, adding: "My prayer is that God wraps his arms around each and every victim and that he continues to be with their families.”
AzVision.az
More about:
