A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday when a passenger jet carrying 64 people crashed into Washington’s Potomac River after colliding midair with a military helicopter. The crash, which happened near Reagan National Airport, has led to a massive search and rescue operation, with multiple bodies being pulled from the dark, near-freezing water[1].
The collision involved a Bombardier plane operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, which was approaching Reagan National Airport after flying from Wichita, Kansas. The plane collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on a training flight[1].
Emergency crews, totaling about 300 people, have been working in extremely rough conditions to search for survivors. Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly indicated that the chances of finding anyone alive were slim[1]. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser assured that the rescue efforts would continue as long as necessary[1].
US Figure Skating confirmed that several athletes, coaches, and officials were aboard the flight. Additionally, officials in Moscow confirmed that a married Russian couple, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the 1994 world pairs title, were on the jet[1].
Witness Ari Schulman described seeing a “stream of sparks” overhead before the crash. He noted that the plane initially appeared normal but then banked sharply to the right, emitting bright yellow sparks[1].
President Donald Trump, in an official statement, expressed his condolences and criticized air traffic control for the incident. He questioned why the helicopter did not take evasive action and why the control tower did not provide clearer instructions[1].
The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all planes at Reagan National Airport, which is not expected to reopen until 11:00 am on Thursday[1]. American Airlines’ chief executive expressed deep sorrow over the incident, and US Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas described the collision as “nothing short of a nightmare”[1].
The airspace around Washington is known to be crowded, with planes and helicopters frequently flying in close proximity. The last major fatal US air accident occurred in 2009 when Continental Flight 3407 crashed, killing all 49 people aboard[1].
The investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine how a passenger plane with modern collision-avoidance technology could collide with a military aircraft over the nation’s capital[1].
[1]: Channels Television
References
[1] Air traffic control audio details deadly Washington plane crash: ‘I just saw a fireball’
