A devastating midair crash between an American Eagle passenger flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter occurred near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, sending both aircraft into the Potomac River. The tragic accident took place near Reagan National Airport. It has led to an intense search and rescue operation as officials work to recover victims and investigate the cause of the crash.
Here’s more about the crash.
How did the American Eagle flight and Black Hawk helicopter crash?
The tragic crash between an American Eagle passenger flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter occurred Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport, sending both aircraft into the Potomac River. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), American Eagle Flight 5342, a regional jet operated by PSA Airlines, was on approach to land when it collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter conducting a training flight.
The passenger plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. Meanwhile, the Black Hawk, belonging to the Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had three soldiers on board. A livestream camera at the Kennedy Center captured the exact moment of impact, showing an explosion over the river at 8:47 p.m. ET.
By early Thursday morning, rescue teams had recovered at least 19 bodies, but no survivors had been found. The search operation has been particularly challenging due to freezing temperatures, strong currents, and multiple debris fields. District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services said, “It’s a highly complex operation, the conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders. It’s cold. They’re dealing with relatively windy conditions.” (via CBS News)
In response to the disaster, President Donald Trump extended his condolences and praised emergency responders. However, he also questioned the circumstances leading to the crash. Trump wrote, “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!!!”
