On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, an American airliner crashed into a helicopter over Washington. On board the two planes were 60 passengers, four crew members and three soldiers.
Hamaad Raza received a last message from his wife a few minutes before the tragedy. “She texted me that they'd be landing in 20 minutes,” he tells WUSA from the Washington airport.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: A man waiting at the airport tells local news wife was onboard the aircraft and texted him shortly before crash.
"I'm just praying that someone is pulling her out of the river right now."
pic.twitter.com/Cg2i8eCcbH— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) January 30, 2025
But he quickly realized there was a problem when his response couldn't be “delivered” to his girlfriend. “That's when I realized something was going on,” he said, “60~/em>
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Extremely difficult conditions
The rescue conditions were particularly difficult. According to a police official quoted by CBS, at least 18 bodies, with no survivors, have already been recovered. Rescue operations began Thursday morning in complicated conditions in the Potomac River.
“The water is dark, murky, and it's very difficult to dive in those conditions,” laments Washington Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John A. Donnelly. Sr, quoted by CNN. “The river is a big black spot at night, without any lights except for a few luminous buoys.” He adds that the operations could take < strong>several days.
The plane, broken into pieces, and the helicopter are in the waters of the river, close to each other.
60 passengers on board
According to initial information provided by the FAA, a PSA Bombardier aircraft collided at medium altitude with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter “in training” while approaching the airport. Reagan.
🇺🇸DEADLY TRAGEDY IN WASHINGTON DC: COMMERCIAL PLANE COLLIDES WITH HELICOPTER
American Airlines (American Eagle) flight AA5342 from WICHITA, KANSAS, to WASHINGTON DC, with 64 people on board, collided with a UH-60 BlackHawk VIP Transport helicopter as it approached Reagan Nation… pic.twitter.com/vFpAsp9qZR
— Ramiro Leone (@RamiroNLeone) January 30, 2025
The latter is located on the border of Washington and the Potomac River. In total, 67 people were involved in this crash: 60 passengers, four crew members and three military personnel.