An American Airlines plane with 60 passengers and four crew members on board collided with a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, plunging into the Potomac River.
Washington’s Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said Thursday morning that 28 bodies were recovered from the scene: 27 passengers from the jet and one from the helicopter. That number grew to at least 40 bodies recovered from the Potomac River as of Thursday evening, CNN and CBS News reported, citing law enforcement sources.
“At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” Donnelly said, adding that first responders were “switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
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The commercial flight from Wichita, Kan., was making its approach to Reagan National Airport when the collision occurred shortly before 9 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Black Hawk helicopter — operating out of Fort Belvoir, Va., with a crew of three — was on a training mission, according to the Defense Department. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell’s office told CNN Thursday evening that one of two black boxes aboard the American flight had been recovered.
Among those who died in the crash were figure skaters and their family members and coaches. U.S. Figure Skating, the national governing body for the sport, said “several members of our skating community” were on board the flight from Kansas, “returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.”
At a press briefing on Thursday, President Trump held a moment of silence for the crash victims. “We are in mourning,” he said. “This has really shaken a lot of people, including people, sadly, from other nations who were on the flight.”
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David Knowles
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu hugs a person at a prayer vigil in Wichita, Kan., on Thursday. (Travis Heying/AP)
Most Americans woke up Thursday to the news of Wednesday night’s fatal crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The aviation disaster claimed the lives of 67 people, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in U.S. history.
Here’s a recap of what transpired Thursday as investigators worked to recover the remains of those lost.
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As of Thursday evening, CNN and CBS were reporting that at least 40 bodies had been recovered from the Potomac River, citing law enforcement sources.
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One of two black box data recorders aboard Flight 5342 was recovered.
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A preliminary report by the Federal Aviation Administration reportedly found that staffing in the air traffic control tower at the airport was “not normal” at the time of the midair collision.
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Wednesday’s crash came just 24 hours after a near miss between another commercial jet and a helicopter at Reagan National.
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American Airlines CEO Robert Isom sent a letter to employees saying the company’s top priority was supporting the families who had lost loved ones.
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Residents of Wichita, Kan., where Flight 5342 originated, held a prayer vigil to remember those killed.
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President Trump attempted to place blame for the crash on former President Joe Biden and diversity, equity and inclusion hiring practices at the FAA.
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Trump also faced criticism due to the fact that FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker stepped down on Jan. 20, following run-ins with Elon Musk.
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Trump appointed Chris Rocheleau, a longtime senior official with the FAA, to temporarily run the agency.
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Newly confirmed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy faced his first real test in office, telling reporters, “It is not standard to have aircraft collide.”
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More than a dozen figure skaters were killed in the crash, many of whom had attended the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita last week.
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