Helicopters continue to search the waters with experts warning of the risk of hypothermia, ITV News’ Dan Rivers and Sam Holder reports
There are believed to be ‘no survivors’ from a crash between an American passenger plane and an army helicopter near Washington DC.
American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport to land when it crashed into a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight on Wednesday night.
There were 64 people on board the passenger plane, including four crew members and three soldiers in the military helicopter.
At least 28 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River as 300 responders continue a major search-and-recovery operation on Thursday.
If there are no survivors, this collision will be the deadliest US air crash in nearly 24 years.
In a press conference on Thursday, Washington’s fire chief, John Donnelly said the operation had switched from “a rescue operation to a recovery operation.
“At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident and we have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter.”
The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also recovered.
American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, also said at the press conference: “At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft.
“On final approach into Reagan National it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach.”
He also assured that the two pilots on board the passenger flight were “experienced”.
“I know that the captain had … almost six years with PSA (Airlines), and the first officer almost two years,” he explained.
The collision happened at around 9pm local time (2am GMT) on Wednesday evening.
The cause of the collision is not currently known, but the airport will be closed until 11am local time (4pm GMT).
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said: “When one person dies it’s a tragedy but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.
“It’s a heartbreak beyond measure.”
Victims onboard the American Airlines flight
US Figure Skating, the organisation overseeing the sport across America, confirmed that “several members” of its community were onboard the flight.
Athletes, coaches and family members were on their way home from the National Development Camp, an event held alongside the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
“US 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 statement read.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
Two World Champion Russian figure skaters were also onboard, Russian state media outlet TASS said.
Married couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the 1994 World Championships in pairs figure skating, were reportedly on the flight.
Inna Volyanskaya, a bronze medalist in pairs skating at the 1980 USSR Championships, was also among the passengers.
‘I’m praying that someone is pulling her out of the river’
Hamaad Raza his wife was on the American Airlines flight and received a text from her shortly before the plane was due to land.
“She texted me that they were landing in 20 minutes,” he said.
However, his replies did not go through and that is when he realised something might be wrong.
“I’m just praying that someone is pulling her out of the river right now as we speak,” he added.
Hamaad Raza received a text from his wife shortly before the American Airlines flight was due to land
President Donald Trump said on Thursday morning that the crash “looks like it could have been prevented”.
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport… Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
He had earlier offered his condolences to those affected, saying, “May God bless their souls”.
What do we know so far?
The American Airlines Flight, which departed from Wichita, Kansas, was on approach to Reagan National Airport at about 400ft and a speed of 140mph when it suddenly lost altitude over the Potomac River, according to radio transponder data.
Minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the pilots if they could switch to the shorter Runway 33. The pilots agreed, and the plane adjusted its approach.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the army helicopter crew if they could see the incoming plane.
Moments later, the controller radioed again: “PAT 25, pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after, the two aircraft collided.
The plane’s transponder stopped transmitting at about 2,400ft from the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.
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