Washington, DC, January 30: Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has confirmed that "both aircraft are in the water" and 64 people were flying in the American Airlines aircraft and three were aboard the military helicopter that collided mid-air. She said that the fire department and EMS supported by the fire departments and police departments from across Washington metropolitan region are executing rescue operation in the Potomac River.
While addressing a press conference on the plane collision, Bowser said, "The focus now is rescuing people, and that's what all of our personnel are focused on." She said that the rescue operation is being conducted in a very "dark and cold conditions."
Bowser said, "We are here to brief you on the very tragic events of this evening, where we know a passenger plane coming to the airport here collided with a military helicopter. Our fire department DC Fire and EMS supported by the fire department and police departments from across Washington metropolitan region are executing rescue operation in the Potomac River. They are working diligently in very dark and cold conditions, cold water to execute this rescue operation. We have had the opportunity to be briefed by American Airlines officials. I'm told that American Airlines leadership is on the way to Washington as well and officials are in the airport talking to families now."
During the press conference, DC's Fire and EMS Chief John A Donnelly Sr said that search-and-rescue efforts are underway are in the water and described the conditions as "dangerous." He said that recovery efforts will likely take several days.
Donnelly said, "The challenges are access. The water. that we're operating in is about 8 feet deep, there is wind, there is pieces of ice out there so it's just dangerous and hard to work in." He said, "The water is dark, it is murky, and that is a very tough condition for them to dive in," CNN reported.
He said, "If you can imagine, the river is a large black spot at night with no lights on it, except for a few buoy lights." John A Donnelly Sr said he expected the probe into the collision to take longer.
During the press conference at Reagan National Airport, John A Donnelly Sr said that there are currently about 300 responders working in a search-and-rescue operation at the Potomac River, according to CNN report.
He said, "At 8:58 (p.m.), the first units arrived on the scene and found an aircraft in the water and began rescue operations. This incident has grown," he said. An alert was first sounded at 8:48 p.m." He said the conditions were dark, windy and cold.
At the news conference, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority President and COO, Jack Potter, said that the Reagan National Airport will be closed until at least 11 am ET Thursday. He said there is no effect to the Washington area's other airport, Dulles International Airport, according to CNN report.
A tragic midair collision between an American Airlines plane with 64 on board and a Military helicopter on Wednesday night led to a devastating crash in the Potomac River, CBS News reported. The collision involved a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet and a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter, both of which crashed while attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
18 bodies have so far been recovered from the site, with no survivors found so far, and emergency responders continuing search efforts into the night. The commercial flight, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, had departed from Wichita, Kansas, en route to Washington, DC.
The jet, which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with the Black Hawk helicopter, which had three soldiers aboard. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the collision occurred around 9 pm local time as the aircraft was approaching Runway 33 at the airport. All flights were grounded immediately, and emergency teams were deployed to assist in the search and rescue operations.
A police official on the scene confirmed to CBS News that three debris fields were visible in the river, and by 11:30 pm ET, at least 18 bodies had been recovered. "No survivors had been found so far," the police official said. The search operations were expected to continue throughout the night. The FAA also confirmed that the crash involved a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, operated by American Airlines, and a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter.
