In deeply tragic circumstances, a confirmed number of 18 bodies have been pulled out of the Potomac River after an American Airlines regional jet collided with a military helicopter as it was on the point of landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
An error seems to have taken place. Air Traffic Control audio reveals that the plane was cleared to land at Reagan National Airport just 30 seconds before the collision, but the helicopter it collided with did not (presumably hear and) respond to warnings.
The helicopter involved in the collision was on a training flight.
Upon contact, an explosion occurred, and the plane was ripped into two parts, falling seven feet under water into the Potomac River.
The collision occurred in one of the most heavily monitored airspaces on earth — three miles south of the White House and the US Capitol.
64 people were on the flight, which came from Kansas.
Meanwhile, the helicopter, coming from Virginia, is thought to have carried three soldiers.
Overnight, firefighters and other skilled struggled with dark and icy waters, pulling out bodies but not finding any survivors.
The airport is closed now. American Airlines can be reached by phone by relatives.
Trump’s new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that the Pentagon was actively monitoring the situation and “poised to assist if needed”. Meanwhile, the FBI is aiding local agencies.
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