No survivors reported from Washington DC mid-air collision
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Synopsis
As of January 30, no survivors have been identified from the tragic collision involving American Eagle Flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington DC's Reagan National Airport. Recovery efforts continue in the icy Potomac River.
Key Takeaways
- No survivors found from the crash.
- Collision occurred near Reagan National Airport.
- Rescue teams have recovered 30 bodies.
- Helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk.
- Former Russian figure skaters were on board.
Washington, Jan 30 (NationPress) No survivors have been located from American Eagle Flight 5342, which collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter close to Reagan National Airport in Washington DC on Wednesday night.
Both the plane and helicopter plunged into the Potomac River.
The flight was carrying 60 passengers along with four crew members, while the helicopter was occupied by three service personnel.
Rescue teams had retrieved several bodies from the frigid waters of the river by early Thursday morning, but unfortunately, no survivors were found. The river temperature was perilously low, hovering around 0 degrees Celsius.
According to NBC’s Washington affiliate, rescuers have recovered 30 bodies from the river.
The flight was transporting passengers from Wichita, Kansas to the National Airport.
Authorities in DC reported that the aircraft had disintegrated, while the helicopter was discovered submerged and inverted in the river.
Rescue helicopters were seen hovering with floodlights as boats and rescue teams scoured the river for any signs of life or additional bodies.
The collision reportedly occurred at approximately 8:47 PM local time.
The helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk conducting a training mission, as confirmed by US military officials. It was part of Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, based at Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Reports indicate that two well-known former Russian figure skaters were on the passenger flight, as confirmed by the Kremlin. They are Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov did not disclose their names during a briefing but acknowledged their presence when questioned. He also indicated that other Russian nationals were likely aboard the ill-fated flight.
“There were other of our fellow citizens there as well,” he stated.
Shishkova and Naumov earned gold at the 1994 Figure Skating World Championship representing Russia. The Washington Post noted that the married couple has been residing in the United States since at least 1998, where they coach aspiring ice skaters.
