Wednesday night at 9pm local time, American Airlines Flight 5432 heading to Washington DC from Wichita, Kansas collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter as the passenger plane was landing.
The plane split into two while the helicopter fell upside down. Both aircrafts fell into the nearby Potomac River. There were 60 passengers on the plane as well as four crew members, and three soldiers on the helicopter.
A search and rescue operation
300 emergency responders have been working on a search and rescue operation since the crash, with at least 28 bodies recovered so far, according to CNN.
Officials have also said that no survivors are expected from the devastating crash, the outlet reports.
The helicopter was on a training flight
The Bombardier CRJ700 passenger plane was clear for landing on Runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington DC when it collided with an army helicopter.
US army officials have since confirmed to NBC News that the helicopter had been out on a training flight.
EarthCam footage of the crash
EarthCam footage of the moment of the collision was found, where the American Airlines plane can be seen on its way to land when the helicopter crashes into it.
The collision caused a mid-air explosion in a devastating scene where both aircrafts burst into flames. You can watch the clip here.
Air traffic control audio
Audio was also released from an air traffic controller who spoke moments after the collision, saying, “Um, I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ [the type of plane that crashed] and a helicopter that hit, I would say a half-mile off the approach.”
Movement at the airport is halted
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Flights to and from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington DC have been put on pause for the time being following the crash.
Inflatable rubber rescue boats were launched into the river in search of bodies and survivors, while helicopters flew over the scene in the search and rescue operation.
Fire and EMS chief spoke about it
The Washington Fire and EMS chief John Donnelly said in a press conference, via CNN, that 300 responders were working in “extremely rough” conditions to find survivors.
“The water is dark. It is murky,” he said, describing the icy river. The plane is in around seven feet of water in the Potomac River.
Athletes were on board the plane
On board the passenger plane from Kansas were multiple figure skating athletes as well as parents and coaches.
Known Russian world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among those on board, according to Russian news agency Tass. The married couple won the 1994 World Figure Skating Championship.
Donald Trump asked many questions
While US President Donald Trump said he has been briefed on the incident and is monitoring it, he has since taken to social media to ask a lot of questions.
“It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane,” he wrote.
No expected survivors
The Fire and Emergency Medical Services chief John Donnelly also said he does not expect that there would be any survivors from the crash, according to Sky News, with only 28 bodies having been recovered from the river so far. 27 were from the passenger plane, and one from the helicopter.
American Airlines gave a statement
In a statement, American Airlines confirmed the number of people who were on board the craft, said they were in touch with authorities, and that they should be contacted if needed.
“If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215,” said the statement.
