An American Airlines passenger jet with 64 onboard was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington national airport when it collided with a military helicopter
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A regional passenger jet with 64 people onboard collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River while approaching Ronald Reagan national airport on Wednesday night.
The American Airlines flight, operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle Flight 5342, had flown from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter that was on a training flight.
Media sources have reported that 19 bodies have been recovered so far from the Potomac, where both aircraft fell. About 300 first responders were working on the rescue operation. The Potomac is about 2.4 metres (8ft) deep.
The helicopter was believed to be carrying three soldiers, with no senior army officials onboard. The Black Hawk helicopter involved in the crash was based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Russian state media reported that the figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were onboard. The pair, who were married, won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and lived in the US. The governing body for figure skating in the US confirmed that athletes, coaches and family members were returning from a national development camp held in conjunction with the US championships in Kansas.
Temperatures in the area were below freezing, and any length of time spent in the water would be extremely dangerous for anyone who survived the initial incident, with hypothermia setting in quickly.
Inflatable boats and dive teams searched the site, with helicopters circling above, and large floodlights illuminating the scene from the shore. The operations were made more difficult by strong gusts of wind as well as the cold.
The Washington DC fire and emergency medical services chief, John Donnelly, said: “The challenges are access … there is wind, there [are] pieces of ice out there, so it’s just dangerous and hard to work in.”
The helicopter was on a training exercise in some of the most tightly controlled airspace in the world. The weather in DC was clear. There was no immediate indication of any deliberate or terrorist cause.
All takeoffs and landings have been halted at the airport while the rescue operation is under way.
Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “terrible accident” and praised the “incredible work” done by emergency services. He later said on social media that the crash “should have been prevented”.
Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as Trump’s defence secretary, posted on social media that an investigation had been launched by the army and the defence department
Ari Schulman, a witness who was driving home when the incident happened, described a “stream of sparks” overhead. “Initially I saw the plane and it looked fine, normal. It was right about to head over land,” he told CNN. “Three seconds later, and at that point it was banked all the way to the right … I could see the underside of it, it was lit up a very bright yellow, and there was a stream of sparks underneath it. It looked like a Roman candle.”
American Airlines has set up a phone line for relatives who believe they may have lost ones one onboard.
Continue reading… The Guardian Read More An American Airlines passenger jet with 64 onboard was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington national airport when it collided with a military helicopterWashington DC plane crash – latest updatesFull report: American Airlines jet crashes after midair collisionSign up for the First Edition emailA regional passenger jet with 64 people onboard collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River while approaching Ronald Reagan national airport on Wednesday night.The American Airlines flight, operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle Flight 5342, had flown from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter that was on a training flight.Media sources have reported that 19 bodies have been recovered so far from the Potomac, where both aircraft fell. About 300 first responders were working on the rescue operation. The Potomac is about 2.4 metres (8ft) deep.The helicopter was believed to be carrying three soldiers, with no senior army officials onboard. The Black Hawk helicopter involved in the crash was based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.Russian state media reported that the figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were onboard. The pair, who were married, won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and lived in the US. The governing body for figure skating in the US confirmed that athletes, coaches and family members were returning from a national development camp held in conjunction with the US championships in Kansas.Temperatures in the area were below freezing, and any length of time spent in the water would be extremely dangerous for anyone who survived the initial incident, with hypothermia setting in quickly.Inflatable boats and dive teams searched the site, with helicopters circling above, and large floodlights illuminating the scene from the shore. The operations were made more difficult by strong gusts of wind as well as the cold.The Washington DC fire and emergency medical services chief, John Donnelly, said: “The challenges are access … there is wind, there [are] pieces of ice out there, so it’s just dangerous and hard to work in.”The helicopter was on a training exercise in some of the most tightly controlled airspace in the world. The weather in DC was clear. There was no immediate indication of any deliberate or terrorist cause.All takeoffs and landings have been halted at the airport while the rescue operation is under way.Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “terrible accident” and praised the “incredible work” done by emergency services. He later said on social media that the crash “should have been prevented”.Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as Trump’s defence secretary, posted on social media that an investigation had been launched by the army and the defence departmentAri Schulman, a witness who was driving home when the incident happened, described a “stream of sparks” overhead. “Initially I saw the plane and it looked fine, normal. It was right about to head over land,” he told CNN. “Three seconds later, and at that point it was banked all the way to the right … I could see the underside of it, it was lit up a very bright yellow, and there was a stream of sparks underneath it. It looked like a Roman candle.”American Airlines has set up a phone line for relatives who believe they may have lost ones one onboard. Continue reading…
