A jet with 60 passengers and 4 crew members aboard collided Wednesday evening with an Military helicopter whereas touchdown at Ronald Reagan Nationwide Airport close to Washington, prompting a big search-and-rescue operation within the close by Potomac River.
Right here is all the pieces we all know to date.
Airplane crashed into Military helicopter on descent to runway
American Airways Flight 5342 was inbound to the airport at an altitude of about 400 ft and a velocity of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a fast lack of altitude over the Potomac River, in accordance with information from its radio transponder.
A couple of minutes earlier than touchdown, air site visitors controllers requested the arrival business jet if it may land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan Nationwide and the pilots mentioned they have been ready.
Lower than 30 seconds earlier than the crash, an air site visitors controller requested the helicopter if it had the arrival airplane in sight.
The controller made one other radio name to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 go behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that, the 2 plane collided.
Rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River
AFP through Getty Pictures
Variety of fatalities unknown
There have been a number of fatalities after the mid-air collision, in accordance with a number of separate US media retailers that cited nameless sources.
Officers who held a press convention at Reagan Nationwide Airport didn’t announce any deaths, however all of them had a sombre tone.
Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas mentioned “when one individual dies it is a tragedy, however when many, many, many individuals die it is an insufferable sorrow”.
Washington mayor Muriel Bowser wouldn’t say whether or not any our bodies have been recovered from the crash.
CCTV reveals second American Airways flight collides mid-air
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Search and rescue operation underway
There are at present about 300 responders engaged on a “extremely complicated” rescue operation.
Inflatable rescue boats have been launched into the Potomac River from a degree alongside the George Washington Parkway, simply north of the airport.
First responders have additionally arrange gentle towers from the shore to light up the world close to the collision web site.
World champion Russian determine skaters reported to be aboard crashed US airplane
Russian determine skaters and coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov have been aboard the American Airways airplane
Russian determine skaters and coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov have been aboard the airplane, Russian state-run TASS information company has reported, citing a supply.
Shishkova and Naumov, who have been married, received the world championship in pairs determine skating in 1994.
An individual appears to be like on the arrivals and departures boards on the airport in Wichita
REUTERS
Military investigating incident
Pete Hegseth, sworn in days in the past as protection secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched instantly” by the Military and the Protection Division.
The US Military described the helicopter as a UH-60 Blackhawk based mostly at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
It’s mentioned to have been on a coaching flight.
Army plane continuously conduct coaching flights in and across the congested and heavily-restricted airspace across the nation’s capital for familiarisation and continuity of presidency planning.
Trump blames air site visitors controllers and helicopter crew
President Donald Trump appeared guilty on the helicopter crew and air site visitors controllers in a put up on Reality Social.
“The helicopter was going straight on the airplane for an prolonged time frame. It’s a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the airplane have been blazing, why did not the helicopter go up or down, or flip,” Trump wrote.
“Why did not the management tower inform the helicopter what to do as an alternative of asking in the event that they noticed the airplane. This can be a unhealthy state of affairs that appears prefer it ought to have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
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