A passenger aircraft carrying 64 passengers and crew has crashed into the Potomac River within the Washington DC space, after colliding in mid-air with a US Military helicopter.
At the least 19 our bodies have been pulled from the river to this point, a regulation enforcement supply has mentioned. Determine skaters from the US and Russia are reportedly amongst those that had been on board the aeroplane when the crash occurred.
Search and rescue groups have been working via the night time to scour the waters in freezing temperatures.
The close by Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport is quickly closed as authorities examine what occurred.
What occurred?
At round 21:00 native time (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday, a PSA Airways jet working as American Airways 5342 collided with a US Military helicopter because it approached Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport, in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The passenger aircraft broke into a number of items and sunk a number of toes into the river, whereas the helicopter ended up the wrong way up on the water, reviews mentioned.
The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ700, departed from Wichita, Kansas and was carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew, American Airways mentioned.
The Pentagon mentioned the helicopter concerned was a Sikorsky H-60 that took off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
Three US troopers had been on board, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser mentioned. One other official mentioned it was on a coaching flight, and it belonged to B Firm, twelfth Aviation Battalion from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
A clip printed on-line, and reviewed by CNN, purports to seize the air site visitors management dialog within the moments earlier than the crash. A controller can reportedly be heard warning the helicopter concerning the aircraft, however receiving no reply. The audio has not been verified by the BBC.
The FAA mentioned it might examine the incident, along with the Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB).
Had been there casualties?
A regulation enforcement supply conversant in the investigation instructed CBS that a minimum of 19 our bodies have been recovered from the river – although officers have declined to substantiate such reviews, saying they’re centered on their rescue effort.
US Determine Skating mentioned “a number of members of our skating neighborhood had been sadly aboard” the flight. It mentioned this group comprised athletes, coaches and relations who had been returning dwelling from a improvement camp in Kansas.
Russian residents had been additionally on board, the Kremlin confirmed – after native media reported that ice skating coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov had been on the aircraft.
About 300 responders on rubber boats have been deployed to seek for survivors, mentioned Washington DC Hearth and Emergency Companies Chief John Donnelly. “The problem is entry, there’s wind, items of ice (on the water). It’s harmful and arduous to work in,” he mentioned.
What are eyewitnesses saying?
Ari Schulman instructed NBC Washington that he noticed the aircraft crash whereas driving on the George Washington Parkway, which runs alongside the airport.
He mentioned the aircraft’s strategy seemed regular, till he noticed the plane financial institution arduous to the fitting, with “streams of sparks” operating beneath, illuminating its stomach.
At that time, he mentioned he knew that it seemed “very, very mistaken”. Having seen aircraft landings there prior to now, he mentioned a aircraft’s underside shouldn’t have been seen at nighttime.
The sparks, he mentioned, resembled a “large roman candle” and went from the aircraft’s nostril to its tail.
Jimmy Mazeo mentioned he noticed the crash whereas having dinner along with his girlfriend at a park close to the airport.
He recalled seeing what seemed like a “white flare” within the sky. He mentioned planes flying into Ronald Reagan Airport appeared to have been flying in “irregular patterns”.
Mr Mazeo mentioned he didn’t suppose a lot of what he noticed till emergency providers began arriving on the scene.
What are US officers saying?
President Donald Trump mentioned he had been absolutely briefed on the the “horrible accident” and that he was monitoring the state of affairs intently.
“Could God Bless their souls,” he mentioned in an announcement. “Thanks for the unbelievable work being carried out by our first responders.
On his TruthSocial social media account, he has additionally raised questions on how the incident may have occurred, writing: “This can be a unhealthy state of affairs that appears prefer it ought to have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
Vice-President JD Vance requested for prayers for individuals who had been within the incident.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, whose appointments had been only recently confirmed, additionally mentioned they had been monitoring the state of affairs.
Requested if flight paths close to Ronald Reagan airport can be modified after the incident, Duffy mentioned “we are going to take acceptable motion if vital”. He added: “There will likely be a overview of what occurred right here tonight.”
American Airways CEO Robert Isom expressed his “deep sorrow” concerning the collision in a video which has been posted to the airline’s web site.
That was echoed by Roger Marshall, a US senator representing Kansas, the place the aircraft had travelled from. He described a “heartbreak past measure”.
