At least 18 bodies have been recovered after a plane carrying 64 people collided with a military helicopter, causing both to crash into the Potomac River in Washington DC, local media reported.
Rescuers search for victims on the Potomac River on January 30.
US media reported that many bodies have been found in the collision of a passenger plane with a Black Hawk military helicopter in Washington DC (USA).
The incident occurred on January 29 (local time) when a plane carrying 64 people crashed into the Potomac River after colliding in the air with a military helicopter.
Passenger plane collides with helicopter in Washington
Citing local sources, CBS News said at least 18 bodies were pulled from the water during the icy night.
A massive search and rescue operation is underway, with divers plunging into the icy Potomac River to search for missing people and the wreckage of the two planes.
Reporters monitor information at Reagan National Airport on January 30.
Washington DC Fire Department Chief John Donnelly said about 300 rescue workers were working in "extremely harsh" conditions and there was little hope of finding anyone alive.
"We will be out there as long as necessary," Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference.
The U.S. Figure Skating Federation said several athletes, coaches and officials were on board, while officials in Moscow confirmed that Russian pair Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the world pairs championship in 1994, were also on board.
"Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. Other compatriots of ours were also there," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
According to Reuters, the Kremlin sent condolences to the families of the Russians killed and said there were currently no plans for contact between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.
The Bombardier aircraft operated by American Eagle - a subsidiary of American Airlines - was approaching Reagan National Airport after departing from Wichita (Kansas) when the collision occurred at around 9:00 p.m. on January 29 (local time).
US military officials said the helicopter involved was a Black Hawk carrying three soldiers on a "training flight".
President Trump said in an official statement that he had been "fully briefed" and added that "God bless the souls" of the victims.
Less than four hours after the disaster, he took to social media to criticize air traffic control, even as other officials stressed they were waiting for an investigation to be conducted.
"The plane was on a perfect, normal flight path to the airport. The helicopter flew straight towards the plane for a long time. The night was clear, the lights on the plane were bright," he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn around? 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 it seems should have been prevented,” the leader wrote.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/may-bay-va-cham-tren-khong-o-my-nhieu-nguoi-thiet-mang-185250130175221888.htm
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