A regional jet approaching Reagan National Airport collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday night killing all onboard both aircraft, officials said early Thursday morning following a massive search and rescue operation.
In a statement Wednesday after the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration said the 8:47 p.m. collision involved a Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter and a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, operating as flight 5342 on behalf of American Airlines Inc., preparing to land on runway 33 at DCA.
The flight departed from Wichita, Kansas, at 5:38 p.m. local time and had 60 passengers and four crew onboard, officials said. The helicopter, which officials say was based at Fort Belvoir and on a training mission, had three people aboard.
At a 7:45 a.m. briefing Thursday, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly said authorities do not believe there are any survivors. Some 30 bodies have already been recovered, per the medical examiner.
“I…
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