A passenger plane that took off from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into the Potomac River shortly before 9 PM this Thursday after colliding with an Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C., according to reports from U.S. media.
The aircraft was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the helicopter had only three people on board.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the crashed aircraft was a Bombardier CRJ700 from PSA, operated by American Airlines, which was flying the route from Wichita to Reagan National Airport.
The collision occurred during the approach maneuver to runway 33. The impact split the aircraft in two and, according to an initial official report, at least 18 bodies have been recovered.
There are no survivors. The remnants of the plane are scattered in the Potomac River at a depth of between 1.5 and 2.5 meters of water. Divers, who have accessed part of the cockpit, have found the luggage and one of the black boxes.
Officials from the Army and the Department of Defense confirmed that the helicopter involved was a Sikorsky H-60 "Black Hawk."
CNN confirmed that the aircraft had a crew of three people and that it was not carrying any VIPs.
President Donald Trump reacted with outrage to the accident.
"The plane was on a perfect and routine approach to the airport. The helicopter was heading directly toward the plane for a long time. It was a clear night, the plane's lights were on; why wasn't the helicopter climbing or descending, or turning? Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane?" the president questioned.
Senator Roger Marshall expressed his dismay on social media.
"Tonight we received devastating news about what can only be described as nothing short of a nightmare. A plane traveling to the nation's capital from Wichita, carrying approximately 60 passengers, collided with a military helicopter. My prayer is that God embraces each and every one of the victims and continues to be with their families," wrote Marshall.
The airline issued a brief statement regarding the incident.
"We have been informed that American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA, traveling from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Reagan National Airport in Washington (DCA), has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available," they stated.
The accident recalls the tragedy that occurred in 1982, when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River, also near Reagan National Airport. On that occasion, 74 people lost their lives (70 passengers and four crew members) and only five survived.
The mayor of Washington will hold a press conference to provide more details about the accident at 7:30 a.m.
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