(CLO) Several people are feared dead after an American Airlines passenger plane carrying 64 people and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided and crashed into the icy Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport.
Officials did not provide a death toll in Wednesday night's crash, but U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas, where the flight originated, said most if not all of those on board were killed.
“It’s really tough when you lose more than 60 Kansans at one time,” he said at a news conference at Reagan National Airport in the nation’s capital early Thursday morning.
"When one person dies, it is a tragedy, but when many, many people die, it is unbearable sadness. It is immeasurable pain."
Accident scene. Photo X/TM
Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, said first responders are in "rescue mode."
American Airlines confirmed there were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the jet. A US official said the helicopter was on a training flight and was carrying three soldiers.
CBS News, citing a police official, said at least 18 bodies had been found. Two sources told Reuters that more bodies had been pulled from the water.
The mid-air collision occurred as the passenger plane, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was on its way to land at Reagan. Radio contact between the air traffic control tower and the Black Hawk indicated that the helicopter crew knew the plane was nearby. X
Video of the incident (source X/TM)
The Pentagon said it was investigating. In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump questioned the actions of the helicopter crew and air traffic controllers.
"The helicopter was flying straight towards the plane for a long period of time. CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were bright, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn around," Trump wrote.
"Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This was a terrible situation that apparently should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"
Air traffic control recordings appear to have recorded the final attempt to contact the helicopter, codenamed PAT25, before it collided with the aircraft described as a CRJ.
"PAT25, do you see the CRJ? PAT25, passing behind the CRJ," an air traffic controller said at 8:47 p.m. (0147 GMT), according to a recording on liveatc.net.
Seconds later, another plane called air traffic control and said, “Tower, do you see it?” — apparently referring to the crash. An air traffic controller then directed planes headed for runway 33 to go around it.
Webcam footage of the crash shows the impact between the plane and helicopter, and an explosion that lights up the night sky. Immediately after the collision, an air traffic controller was heard on the radio saying: "I just saw a fireball and then it disappeared. I haven't seen anything since they hit the river."
Relatives gathered at the airport said they had received little official information about the incident. One man wept as he stood on the sidewalk outside the airport at 3 a.m.
Among those on board were former Russian world figure skating champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, Russian state media reported.
Washington DC Fire Chief John Donnelly said at least 300 rescue workers were continuing to work in the "extremely complex" rescue operation. Asked by reporters if there were any survivors, he replied "we don't know yet".
Hypothermia is a concern for survivors and first responders.
"In water temperatures this cold, human body temperature drops rapidly. Exhaustion or unconsciousness can occur in just 15 to 30 minutes," said AccuWeather senior director of forecasting operations Dan DePodwin.
Hours after the crash, a helicopter circled the water, shining a spotlight. A rescue team in a boat peered into the water with flashlights. Airport Authority General Manager Potter said the airport would be closed until at least 11 a.m. Thursday.
Hoang Anh (according to CBS, CNN, Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/may-bay-cho-khach-va-cham-truc-thang-o-my-hau-het-hanh-khach-co-the-da-tu-vong-post332458.html
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