A tragic mid-air collision between a passenger jet and a army helicopter over Washington, D.C., has resulted within the deaths of all 64 individuals on board the plane. The crash occurred round 9:00 p.m. on Monday, sending each plane plunging into the icy waters of the Potomac River.
Talking at a information convention at Reagan Nationwide Airport, Washington Hearth Chief John Donnelly confirmed that the operation had shifted from rescue to restoration.
“At this level, we don’t consider there are any survivors,” Donnelly mentioned, revealing that 28 our bodies had been recovered thus far, together with one from the helicopter.
Difficult Search Efforts
Search and restoration groups, consisting of over 300 first responders, labored by way of the evening in harsh situations, battling sturdy winds, freezing temperatures, and icy waters.
Emergency vessels, outfitted with floodlights, scoured the river at daybreak as divers looked for wreckage and stays.
“ These responders confronted excessive situations, but they remained devoted to their mission,” Donnelly mentioned.
Reason for the Crash Underneath Investigation
The reason for the collision stays unclear. Aviation officers confirmed that each plane have been following commonplace flight paths on a transparent evening with good visibility. Nonetheless, recordings from air visitors management reveal pressing directions for the helicopter to “pass behind†the passenger jet moments earlier than the crash.
“ I simply noticed a fireball, and it was gone,” one air visitors controller was heard saying after shedding contact with the helicopter.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy prompt that the crash may have been prevented. “Do I believe this was preventable? Completely,” he mentioned.
Victims Embrace Distinguished Athletes
US Determine Skating confirmed that a number of athletes, coaches, and officers have been on the ill-fated flight. Among the many victims have been Russian determine skating champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who gained the 1994 world pairs title.
The passenger jet, a Bombardier plane operated by an American Airways subsidiary, was carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members on a flight from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan Nationwide Airport when the collision occurred.
The helicopter, a Black Hawk carrying three U.S. Military troopers, was reportedly on a coaching mission.
Eyewitness Accounts and Political Reactions
Eyewitness Ari Schulman described seeing “ a stream of sparks” because the collision unfolded.
“ I first noticed the airplane flying usually, then abruptly it banked arduous to the best. The underside was glowing vibrant yellow, and sparks have been trailing behind it. It regarded like a Roman candle,” he informed CNN.
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the incident through social media, questioning air visitors management’s dealing with of the state of affairs.
“The airplane was on an ideal and routine strategy. The helicopter was flying straight at it for an prolonged interval. Why didn’t air visitors management direct the helicopter away?” Trump wrote on Fact Social.
Airport Grounded, Investigation Ongoing
Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all flights at Reagan Nationwide Airport. Regular operations have been anticipated to renew by 11:00 a.m.
American Airways CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow†over the tragedy, whereas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas described the collision as “ nothing in need of a nightmare.”
Aviation specialists are actually inspecting how a contemporary passenger jet, outfitted with collision-avoidance know-how, may collide with a army helicopter in one of many nation’s busiest airspaces.
The crash marks Washington’s deadliest aviation catastrophe since 1982, when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac River after takeoff, killing 78 individuals.
