Washington DC plane crash: 67 feared dead after mid-air collision PHOTO/VIDEO/UPDATED

At least 30 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River after a tragic mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter on the evening of January 29.

The crash, which occurred near Washington D.C., involved 64 people aboard the jet and three crew members on the helicopter, all of whom are feared to be dead, according to Kansas Senator Roger Marshall.

By the morning of January 30, recovery teams had pulled 30 bodies from the water, as reported by multiple sources to NBC Washington, per Caliber.Az.

A large-scale emergency response is underway, with fireboats on the water and teams from the Metropolitan Police Department and local fire departments working around the clock.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the collision occurred when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, collided mid-air with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter while both were approaching Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time. The jet had departed from Wichita, Kansas.

12:42

World champions in pairs figure skating, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were confirmed to be on the plane that crashed near Washington, D.C.

"Our coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were on board the crashed plane," the source who spoke to Russian media confirmed, per Caliber.Az.

The 52-year-old Shishkova and 55-year-old Naumov were crowned world champions in 1994 and have earned multiple honours in their careers, including silver and bronze medals at world championships and European championships. In the 1995/96 season, they won the Grand Prix Final of the International Skating Union. After retiring from competitive skating, they moved into coaching and have been living in the United States since 1998.

The crash site is near Reagan Airport, where rescue efforts have been hampered by chunks of ice in the Potomac River, complicating the work of divers and other responders.

Washington Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief Jonah Donnally spoke about the challenges faced by emergency teams: “The problems are related to access. The water we're working in is about 8 feet deep. The wind is blowing, there’s chunks of ice. So it's just dangerous and difficult to work there."

Donnally added, "And because there’s not a lot of light, you have to look around every square inch of space looking for somebody. Divers do the same thing in the water. The water is dark, murky, and it's a very difficult environment to dive in."

As of January 30, efforts continue with divers, helicopters, and boats deployed to search the waters for survivors.

12:06

On January 30, footage surfaced on social media showing a moment from the control room screen during the tragic collision near Washington, D.C., where a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter collided with a Bombardier CRJ700 passenger jet during its approach.

Air traffic control operators had been attempting to communicate with the helicopter crew just before the crash occurred, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

In the recording, the dispatcher is heard asking the helicopter crew if they can see the passenger aircraft, then instructing them to allow the jet to pass and fly behind it. 

The video captures the sound of a sigh from the cameraman, as the helicopter is seen closing in on the passenger jetliner.

9:59

A midair collision between a passenger aircraft and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter occurred near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, DC, as the plane was approaching the runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and defence officials.

The aircraft involved was American Airlines Flight 5342, carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members, Caliber.Az reports citing multiple US media outlets.

The plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas. The Black Hawk helicopter, which was on a training flight, had three soldiers aboard at the time of the incident.

Officials confirmed that no VIPs were on the helicopter, noting that high-ranking Army officials typically use the Black Hawk for travel within the Washington, D.C. area.

Following the crash, all takeoffs and landings were halted at Reagan National Airport.

Details remain unclear about the helicopter’s point of departure prior to the collision. CNN reported that the exact location and the specific training tasks of the helicopter crew are still unknown.

A significant emergency response ensued, with dozens of firefighters engaged in recovery operations in the Potomac River, as stated by Edward Kelly, President of the International Association of Firefighters. Emergency crews, including military personnel, park police, and DC Metropolitan Police, rushed to the scene.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the "terrible accident" and commended the “incredible work” of emergency services.

CBS News later reported that 18 bodies had been recovered from the Potomac River, following the crash. Other outlets, such as the Washington Post, also confirmed the recovery of multiple bodies, although no survivors have been found.

This incident echoes the tragic Air Florida crash that occurred on January 13, 1982, when a flight plunged into the Potomac River, killing 78 people due to poor weather conditions.

The last fatal crash involving a US commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. A Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane, which crashed while approaching the airport, killed all 49 people aboard and one person on the ground. The investigation determined that the captain's error caused the plane to stall.

By Tamilla Hasanova