An American Airlines flight carrying 64 people crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with a military helicopter outside Washington DC.
The crash occurred while the flight from Wichita, Kansas, was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport at around 9:00 PM local time (2:00 AM GMT) on Wednesday.
While authorities have not officially confirmed casualties, CBS, in partnership with the BBC, reported that police have recovered 18 bodies from the wreckage, with no survivors.
The helicopter, a Black Hawk, was carrying three US Army soldiers, according to a defense official. The origin of the helicopter is still unclear, though it is linked to a battalion stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Multiple local and federal agencies are currently involved in the rescue efforts. The BBC reported seeing debris floating in the Potomac River, believed to be from the downed aircraft, which was said to have split in half upon impact.
Eyewitnesses described sparks and flashes during the mid-air collision. One witness, Ari Schulman, told NBC Washington that the situation rapidly escalated from “completely normal” to “very, very wrong.”
He recounted seeing “a stream of sparks” beneath the jet, which then exploded into “a giant Roman candle… I looked back to see a fireball.”
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed at a news conference that the number of people rescued or recovered could not yet be verified, although she could confirm the number of passengers on both aircraft.
Emergency chief John Donnelly mentioned that rescuers were facing “very tough conditions,” with cold weather, wind, and ice in the water, compounded by darkness, making the search particularly challenging.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the “terrible accident” and expressed gratitude for the “incredible work being done by our first responders,” vowing to monitor the situation closely and provide updates. I
n response to the crash, Washington National Airport halted takeoffs and landings, and flights were rerouted to Dulles International Airport, located approximately 28 miles away.
The Washington DC metro system also extended its hours to accommodate travelers.
Federal aviation authorities and US Congress have launched investigations into the incident.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom confirmed the airline has dispatched a team to Washington DC and that he will be traveling there himself.
Source-BBC
