An American Airlines airplane collided with a military helicopter as it was coming in for landing at Washington airport. There were 64 people on board the airliner.
No one likely survived after the American Airlines plane crashed in Washington, rescue officials said.
On January 29 at 20:47 local time, a Bombardier CRJ700, flying from Kansas, was landing at Ronald Reagan Airport when it collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter. The latter was making a training flight with three soldiers on board.
“Despite our best efforts, we are now transitioning from a rescue operation to a search operation. We do not believe there are any survivors of the crash by this point,” said Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly.There are likely no survivors of the plane crash in Washington, DC
According to rescuers, the airplane’s hull broke into at least three parts. Its wreckage is in the river at a depth of one and a half to two meters. Parts of the crashed helicopter have also been found.
The work of rescuers is complicated by cold weather and low water temperature. The operation is expected to take several days.
“The American Airlines flight was following a standard flight pattern when it came in for landing at DCA. There was nothing unusual about a military aircraft flying over the river and the plane landing at DCA,” stressed US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
He also said that after the investigation it is planned to change the routes along which helicopters are allowed to fly. Now they can fly along the Potomac River at low altitude.
The exact cause of the tragedy is still unknown. But according to transcripts of the conversations, dispatchers tried to steer the helicopter away from the collision and ordered it to let the airliner pass.
According to rescuers, the airplane’s hull broke into at least three parts. Its wreckage is in the river at a depth of one and a half to two meters. Parts of the crashed helicopter have also been found.
The work of rescuers is complicated by cold weather and low water temperature. The operation is expected to take several days.
“The American Airlines flight was following a standard flight pattern when it came in for landing at DCA. There was nothing unusual about a military aircraft flying over the river and the plane landing at DCA,” stressed US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
He also said that after the investigation it is planned to change the routes along which helicopters are allowed to fly. Now they can fly along the Potomac River at low altitude.
The exact cause of the tragedy is still unknown. But according to transcripts of the conversations, dispatchers tried to steer the helicopter away from the collision and ordered it to let the airliner pass.
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