Anyone who thinks they could have loved ones aboard Flight 5342 can contact American Airlines at 800-679-8215, which is a toll-free number. In a statement, the airline stated, “Those calling from outside the U.S. can visit news.aa.com for additional phone numbers.” “Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly.”
Habihor Rabby, a resident of Arlington, Virginia, and a few of his friends chose to watch the search and rescue operations after learning about the incident.
The 26-year-old Rabby claimed he tried the neighbouring Hains Point first, but police sealed it off. He then went to the marina on Daingerfield Island in Alexandria, Virginia, where he could see a sea of emergency vehicle lights flashing across the river early Thursday.
Rabby said the incident hasn’t made him anxious about travelling, despite the fact that he often takes flights from Washington, D.C. to Kentucky. Although authorities have not disclosed the number of fatalities or injuries, the collision has already caused emotional distress among the surrounding communities.
The final seconds before and after the collision of a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional passenger jet were captured on air traffic control audio.
The last conversations between the three crew members of the helicopter, call sign PAT25, prior to its collision with the plane carrying 64 passengers and crew, were captured on audio from LiveATC.net, a reputable source for in-flight recording.
Are you able to spot a CRJ, PAT25? At 8:47 p.m. on Wednesday, an air traffic controller remarked, “PAT25, pass behind the CRJ.” “Tower, did you see that?” was the apparent reference to the crash that another plane made to air traffic control a few seconds later.
“There was an accident on the approach into 33; I’m not sure if you noticed what happened before. For the foreseeable future, we will be ceasing operations,” said another controller.
“Both the helicopter and the plane crashed in the river,” adds a third air traffic controller.
“It was probably out in the middle of the river,” the controller stated. “I simply noticed a fireball, and then it vanished. Since they struck the river, I haven’t seen anything. However, a helicopter and a CRJ struck.
According to a statement provided to USA TODAY by U.S. Figure Skating, the American governing body of the sport, “several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.”
“These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,” added the statement. Marina Pitofsky
According to Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport would not be open for travel until at least 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Following the crash, which happened at approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday, the airport suspended all takeoffs and landings. The planes were diverted to Dulles International Airport in Washington.
“That will be fluid, of course,” Potter stated. We’ll find out more, but we wanted to let travellers know that we would be closed until at least eleven a.m. if they might be arriving at the airport in the morning.
Anthony Rosado landed at the DCA on another American Airlines flight arriving from Florida only minutes before the airline’s plane crashed into a military helicopter.
At first, he didn’t give much thought to the emergency lights flashing on the tarmac. He assumed the weather was the reason for the cancellation of his connecting flight to Buffalo.
Rosado, 24, claimed that he was unaware of the seriousness of the situation until he entered the terminal, called his wife, and found out about the collision.
“She says, ‘that might have been you,'” he remarked. It’s a little surreal. I’m so glad I wasn’t that person. My thoughts and prayers are with those individuals and their families.
Rosado was one of a few stranded travellers who waited at the airport till the wee hours of Thursday morning. Some were attempting to get some rest, some were in queue to rebook their flights and still others were watching a press conference on the accident. Rosado claimed that when he attempted to exit the airport, Uber drivers were unable to come get him and that the high police presence made it difficult for him to navigate the Metro.
Following the horrific collision hours earlier, officials did not confirm the precise number of survivors or casualties until early Thursday. But a senator from Kansas mentioned losing “over 60 Kansans simultaneously.”
At a press conference at the airport, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kan., stated, “When one person dies, it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die, it’s an unbearable sorrow.” “It is an unfathomable heartbreak.”
“When you lose probably more than 60 Kansans at once, it’s really difficult,” he remarked.
The nonstop flight from Wichita to D.C. began last year, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, claimed he campaigned for it. He claimed to have travelled the journey as a passenger numerous times.
“It is certainly true that in Kansas and in Wichita in particular, we’re going to know people who are on this flight, know their family members, know somebody. So, this is a very personal circumstance as well as an official response.”
According to American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, PSA Airlines, a fully owned subsidiary of the airline, flew the plane that was involved in the fatal incident on Wednesday night.
“The needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones, are now the sole focus of our efforts,” he stated.
There were 64 persons on board, including four crew members and 60 passengers, he added.
“On emergency response efforts, we are actively collaborating with local, state, and federal authorities,” he stated.
Isom stated that the corporation was completely assisting the National Transportation Safety Board in its probe and that he would be travelling to Washington, D.C., soon.
In an early Thursday morning post on X, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the Army and the Defence Department “immediately” launched an investigation into the disaster.
According to an Army guideline, the military usually carries out at least two investigations after a tragic accident.
All fatal accidents involving Army soldiers or equipment are investigated by the Army Combat Readiness Centre located in Fort Novosel, Alabama. They just look into ways to make safety procedures better.
The accident’s details are ascertained in a parallel administrative investigation for use in disciplinary actions, public disclosure, lawsuits, and other purposes. A third, criminal inquiry also takes place if required.
Trump questioned the tragedy in a post on Truth Social following the White House’s distribution of his official written response. He cited video of the collision and stated that it seemed like it “should have been prevented.”
Trump said that the helicopter was “going straight at the aeroplane for an extended period of time” and that the American Airlines aircraft was “on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport.”
“The plane’s lights were blazing, and it was a CLEAR NIGHT. Why didn’t the helicopter turn or go up or down?” Instead of enquiring if the helicopter noticed the jet, why didn’t the control tower tell it what to do? It appears that this unfortunate circumstance may have been avoided. AWFUL!
In the wake of the fatal midair accident, local residents have access to a variety of public transport choices. The extension of the Silver Line metro service from Washington Dulles International Airport to Metro Centre, a significant transport hub in Washington, was announced by the Washington Metropolitan Area transport Authority.
Customers can use the Metrobuses at Metro Centre to return to their cars at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to the WMTA.
AccuWeather meteorologists said hypothermia is a “major concern” for first responders and any survivors of the plane accident.
According to AccuWeather, water temperatures in the Potomac River close to the crash scene on Wednesday night ranged from 33 to 36 degrees.
The core temperature of the human body rapidly decreases at these extremely cold water temperatures. In as little as 15 to 30 minutes, fatigue or unconsciousness may set in, according to a statement from AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin.
According to DePodwin, “persistent blasts of Arctic air” in the D.C. area have caused the river’s waters to be “much colder” than they were at this time last year.
Several dozen flights to and from DCA have been cancelled or delayed, and others have been redirected, in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The pilot of Delta Flight 2729 from Orlando International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport abruptly declared a diversion to Washington Dulles International Airport because of an accident, according to Tyler Kim, a passenger on the flight. Because we were still unsure of the crash’s origin, it was quite frightening.
Randy Clarke, general manager and CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, posted on X that the organisation is operating additional Silver Line trains and extending its hours to accommodate passengers whose flights have been diverted to IAD. Warming buses have also been used to aid in rescue operations.
Tragic outcomes resulted after a commercial aviation crash into the Potomac River for the second time.
Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge, which connected Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., on January 13, 1982, killing 74 people before it plunged into the icy Potomac River. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was in the air when it crashed not long after it took off from Washington National Airport. The destination of the flight was Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale.
“An Army-piloted Black Hawk was on a “normal training flight,” according to Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media commander Heather Chairez, the military chopper that struck the aircraft. The helicopter had three soldiers on board, which is the usual number of crew members for an aircraft.
Military actions in the greater D.C. area are supervised by JTF-NCR. According to Chairez, B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, which has its headquarters in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, roughly ten miles from DCA, was the owner of the helicopter.
The 12th Aviation Battalion regularly uses specialised Black Hawks to fly military VIPs across the D.C. region. However, an Army officer told FOX News and POLITICO that no VIP officials were on board the plane when it crashed.
A few travellers are waiting outside to be picked up or attempting to find their way out on foot while police have blocked off at least one exit heading towards Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
From the windows of the media staging area set up inside the airport’s Terminal 1, one can hear helicopters buzzing overhead and see the flashing lights of emergency vehicles crammed around the Potomac River.
Statements regarding the incident were released by aviation unions that represent the pilots and flight attendants at PSA, the American regional affiliate airline that was flying the flight that was involved in the tragedy.
“We are sending strength to all first responders doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety, even as we mobilise to support the families and crews directly affected by this incident,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, in a statement. “As everyone holds onto hope for survival, we encourage the public to remember the families and respect attempts to provide information to loved ones first. Please refrain from speculating at any moment.
“The terrible accident that occurred at DCA tonight has shocked and saddened us. The Air Line Pilots Association released a statement saying, “Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy and ALPA’s accident investigation team is responding to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in their investigation.”
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department reported that an aircraft was “down in Potomac River” and that fireboats were present in a post on X just after 9 p.m. A later statement from the department stated that there was “no confirmed information on casualties at this time.”
The Metropolitan Police Department reported that other agencies, including local police, were also responding to the scene. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are looking into the event.
In a statement, Republican U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “Tonight, we received devastating news of what can only be described as nothing short of a nightmare.” “A military helicopter and a plane carrying around 60 passengers collided as the plane flew from Wichita, Kansas to the nation’s capital. I pray that God will remain with the families of all the victims and put his arms around them all.
According to American Airlines, there were four crew members and 60 passengers on the aircraft, which was flying as an American Eagle. It was scheduled to land at DCA at 9:03 p.m. local time after departing Wichita at 5:18 p.m.
“An Army-piloted Black Hawk was on a “normal training flight,” according to Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media commander Heather Chairez, the military chopper that struck the aircraft. Military actions in the greater D.C. area are supervised by JTF-NCR. According to Chairez, B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, which has its headquarters in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, roughly ten miles from DCA, was the owner of the helicopter.
“The crew and passengers on board the aeroplane are our top priority. “We are communicating with law enforcement and supporting emergency response activities,” the United States stated in a statement.
For additional information, American Airlines advised anyone who thinks their loved ones were on the trip to contact 800-679-8215.
