A passenger jet carrying 64 people crashed into Washington’s Potomac River on Wednesday night after a midair collision with a U.S. military helicopter. Reports indicate that multiple bodies have been recovered from the near-freezing waters as rescue operations continue.
A massive search-and-rescue effort is underway, with divers combing through the wreckage under powerful lights along the snow-lined riverbanks. Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly described the rescue conditions as “extremely rough” and suggested that chances of finding survivors were slim.
“We’re going to be out there as long as it takes,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser assured reporters.
Fatalities Confirmed, Including Russian Skating Champions
According to local media, at least 18 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage, though official casualty figures are yet to be confirmed. U.S. Figure Skating has revealed that several athletes, coaches, and officials were aboard the ill-fated flight. Meanwhile, Russian authorities confirmed that former world pairs skating champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were also among the passengers.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the tragic loss, saying, “Unfortunately, these sad reports are being confirmed. Our other fellow citizens were also on board.”
The Bombardier aircraft, operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, was flying from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching Reagan National Airport around 9:00 pm (0200 GMT) when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on a training flight.
Eyewitnesses Describe Fiery Scene
Ari Schulman, who witnessed the incident while driving home, recalled seeing “a stream of sparks” in the sky.
“Initially, I saw the plane, and it looked fine, normal. It was right about to head over land,” he told CNN. “Three seconds later, it was banked all the way to the right… I could see the underside of it, lit up bright yellow, with a stream of sparks underneath. It looked like a Roman candle.”
Trump Blames Air Traffic Control
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, in an official statement, said he had been fully briefed on the crash and prayed for the victims. However, just hours after the incident, he criticized air traffic controllers on social media, questioning how the crash could have happened in clear weather.
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time,” he wrote. “Why didn’t the helicopter go up, down, or turn? Why didn’t the control tower intervene? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
Reagan Airport Operations Suspended
Following the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all flights at Reagan National Airport, with operations expected to resume by 11:00 am (1600 GMT) Thursday.
American Airlines’ CEO expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, while U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas described the collision as “nothing short of a nightmare.”
Questions Over Crowded Airspace
Investigators are now probing how a passenger jet equipped with modern collision-avoidance technology could crash into a military helicopter in Washington’s highly regulated airspace. The capital’s skies are often congested with commercial flights, military aircraft, and official helicopters transporting top government officials.
This latest disaster echoes a similar tragedy in January 1982, when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the Potomac shortly after takeoff from Reagan National Airport. That accident, caused by inadequate de-icing procedures, claimed 78 lives.
The last major fatal air crash in the U.S. occurred in 2009, when Continental Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board.
