Authorities said Thursday morning they believe there are no survivors after an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., and crashed into the Potomac River late Wednesday night.
D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly said Thursday morning that rescue efforts were now switching to recovery efforts as no survivors are expected. He said first responders had already recovered the bodies of 27 of the 64 people onboard the passenger plane and one body from the Black Hawk helicopter.
“We wish we were gathering for different purposes today,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at a press conference. “We will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly you are safe.”
The crash, which was reported at around 8:48 p.m., prompted a 300-person emergency response from local fire departments, police departments, the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard, and the FBI.
Donnelly said that rescue workers faced frigid conditions, including icy water and wind that made the response efforts hazardous.
Duffy added that the two aircraft had been located and that the fuselage of the airplane had been found in about three different locations. He said that an investigation was being launched by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said that he was “absolutely heartbroken” and that “we are all hurting incredibly.” He said it appeared that the helicopter appeared to have veered into the flight path of an American Eagle regional jet, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas.
Some on board were American figure skaters.
“U.S. 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 organization said. “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
“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,” the organization added.
In a statement on Truth Social overnight, President Donald Trump said that the crash could have been prevented.
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. 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. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
