US Plane-Helicopter Crash: 28 Dead Bodies Recovered From Potomac River

A tragic midair collision between a US Army Blackhawk helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington DC has left no survivors, according to a fire official. The bodies of 28 victims have been retrieved from the Potomac River. "At this point we don't believe there are any survivors," stated Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly at a news conference held at Reagan National Airport.

Chief Donnelly explained that the operation is transitioning from rescue to recovery. He noted that around 300 first responders were involved, working through harsh conditions including darkness, cold temperatures, strong winds, and icy waters. Despite these challenges, they continued their efforts throughout the night.

Collision Details and Investigation

The crash's cause remains unclear as both aircraft were following standard flight paths on a clear night with good visibility. Transport officials have not yet provided further details. The Bombardier plane, operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. It was nearing Reagan National Airport after departing from Wichita, Kansas when the collision occurred around 9 pm local time.

Audio recordings captured during the incident reveal air traffic controllers warning the helicopter about its trajectory towards the passenger jet. "Pat 2-5 do you have the CRJ in sight?" asked a controller using the Black Hawk's call sign. Moments later, gasps were heard as one voice questioned, "tower, did you see that?" Another controller described witnessing a fireball before both aircraft disappeared into the river.

Reactions and Statements

US Figure Skating confirmed several athletes, coaches, and officials were on board the flight. Moscow officials identified Russian couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov among those on the jet; they won the world pairs title in 1994. American Airlines' CEO Robert Isom expressed "deep sorrow" over the tragedy.

Kyle Bailey, an aviation expert and pilot, told Fox News that if cleared to land, the airplane had right of way. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump shared his critical view of the incident on social media: "The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport... This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented."

Public Reactions

US Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas described the collision as "nothing short of a nightmare." Other officials emphasized waiting for investigations to provide clarity on what transpired during this unfortunate event.