ARLINGTON, VA - At least 27 people are dead after a passenger jet collided with a military helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Wednesday night, according to the Associated Press.
The American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, was struck midair by an Army Blackhawk helicopter as the plane was preparing to land around 9 p.m., according to a statement issued by the Federal Aviation Administration around 10 p.m.
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Airline officials say four crew members and 60 passengers were on board. Among them – a group returning from a skills camp which followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, including Russian world champion figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the Kremlin confirmed.
Army spokesperson Heather Chairez said the helicopter was on a training flight from the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, carrying three soldiers onboard.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, air traffic control reportly asked the helicopter if it saw the plane and instructed it to pass behind, according to the AP. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
An American Airlines flight carrying 64 collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River as the plane prepared to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Wednesday night.
Over 300 first responders reportedly joined search and rescue efforts in the Potomac River, where Washington, D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly described conditions as, "extremely rough."
By 8 a.m. Thursday, officials said at least 27 bodies were recovered and no survivors had been found.
Many Wednesday night flights expecting to land at Reagan were diverted to Dulles International Airport as flights to and from Reagan were canceled through Friday morning. Officials later announced travel would resume at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Officials say an airport conference room and 1-800 number were set up for families of those on board to get information as the National Transportation Safety Board and Department of Defense investigate.
This is a developing story. We will update this article when more information becomes available.
