All on board American Airlines jet and Army helicopter presumed dead after crash near Reagan National
A regional jet from Kansas crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night after colliding midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter near Virginia’s Reagan National Airport, authorities reported.
John Donnelly, chief of D.C. Fire and EMS, confirmed during a Thursday morning press briefing that all individuals aboard the plane involved in the collision with the Army helicopter are presumed dead.
“We are transitioning from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” Donnelly stated. “At this time, we do not believe there are any survivors from this tragic incident.”
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The helicopter’s instructor pilot, who was serving as pilot-in-command, had about 1,000 flight hours
Several members of the figure skating community were on board the jet, returning from a developmental camp in Wichita, according to US Figure Skating. The Skating Club of Boston has identified six victims, including Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 World Pair Champions.
8 a.m., at least 28 bodies had been pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River
