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What we know about the American aircraft and army helicopter on the DC Potomac River

What we know about the American aircraft and army helicopter on the DC Potomac River

Short staff could play a role in the DC plane crash and more headers


Short staff could play a role in the DC plane crash and more headers

06:26

Passenger jet and Black Hawk helicopter He collided in the air On Wednesday and hit the Potomac River near the reagan national airport near Washington, the president of DC Trump confirmed Thursday that there were no survivors. Many victims have not yet been publicly identified.

Aircraft, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, a regional jet, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members in flight from Wichita, Kansas. There were three soldiers on board Sikorsky H-60 ​​of the American Army, the clerk of the Defense Department told CBS News.

At least 40 bodies have been recovered from Thursday evening, the source of law enforcement agencies informed CBS News.

John Donnelly, head of the District Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services, said earlier that the efforts on the spot went from an emergency surgery for recovery surgery.

Here’s what we know so far about the disaster:

What happened?

Lot American Eagle No. 5342, which was served by the Airlines dog, collided with the H-60 ​​Sikorsky H-60 ​​helicopter around 21:00 on Wednesday, approaching the runway at the reagan national airport, said FAA. The plane started from Wichita, Kansas.

American airlines and dog are dependent American Airlines.

The helicopter involved in the collision took place during the training flight and belonged to B Company, 12th Air Battalion with Fort Belvoir in Virginia, said CBS News Media Head of Media Media Capitol Region Region Region.

One air traffic control worker managed helicopters and some planes from the National Airport Tower during a collision, work usually made by two people, two sources inform CBS News.

Live camera at Kennedy Center in Washington captured the moment of collision. The film, which has been verified by CBS News, shows the explosion in the area of ​​the Potomac River at 20:47 eastern.

The plane collides with a military helicopter in the air near the US capital
Taking the screen captured from the film shows a regional plane that collided in the air with a military helicopter and crashed with the Potomac River in Washington on January 29, 2025.

Kennedy Center Cam/Anadol by Getty Images


What do we know about search operations

The head of DC Fire and EMS, John Donnelly, told journalists during the check -in on Thursday morning that 27 bodies were recovered from the plane and one of the helicopter.

He said, “We don’t believe there are some survivors,” adding that the efforts on stage have changed from the rescue operation to recovery surgery.

“This is a highly complex surgery, the conditions are very rough for respondents. It’s cold. They deal with relatively windy conditions, “said Donnelly.

American Airlines and Black Hawk Hawk Helicopter Crash near the National Airport Reagan National Airpt
Crisis response units search the emergency in the Potomac River near Washington on January 30, 2025. After the passenger aircraft and army helicopter collided near the reagan national airport.

Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images


The older transport of CBS News and national correspondent Kris Van Cleave announced that human remains and debris are washed on the side of the Potomac River in Virginia.

He said that the plane crashed into many pieces that sat on 5-8 feet of water.

NTSB confirmed that the aviation data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, commonly known as black boxes, were recovered from the broken plane. They will be analyzed in the NTSB laboratory, which is located about a mile from the disaster.

Divers had access to the aircraft cab. The luggage is among the items that divers regained.

The helicopter is upside down, but it seems that he is mostly intact, added Van Cleave.

What we know about the victims of the plane crash

Peak Figurcy skaters from Russia and the United States – including 6 people With connections with the Skating Club in Boston – they were among the victims. Jinna Han and Spencer Lane athletes, their mothers Jin Han and Christine Lane, as well as skating trainers Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were on board the flight, said Doug Zeghibe, general director and executive director of the club. They returned home from the National Development Camp, which took place in connection with the last championships of the American figure skating in Wichita.

Said Spencer Lane’s father, a resident of Rhode Island, Douglas Lane WPRI CBS Partner His 16-year-old son was the “strength of nature”, which raised a figure skater just three years ago and developed quickly. Douglas Lane described his wife Christine as a caring and creative person who was distinguished by graphic design, photography and quilting.

Naumov and Shishkova, a couple, are figurine skaters born in Russia who won the World Championships in figure skating in 1994 and trained at the club. They divided their son, Maxima Naumova, who is a competitive skater at Team USA. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed earlier that Naumov and Shishkova were on the flight with other Russian citizens.

Another victim in the disaster, Asra Hussain Raza, recently moved to Washington for a consulting position and traveled home from a trip to work, when a collision, her father -in -law, Hashima Raza, said CBS News. Her father-in-law said that the 26-year-old was a graduate of the University of Indiana and Columbia University.

Four members of the trade union based in Maryland, the Steamfitters United Local 602 Association, were also in flight, said Union leaders In the post of social media Thursday. The relationship is represented by the heating, air conditioning, cooling and processes in the DC metro area.

The head of the helicopter crew was identified as 29-year-old Ryan O’hara, CBS News found out on Thursday. O’hara was the husband and father of the 1-year-old son, his local training program of reserve officers said in a post on social media about his death.

Politicians react to

President Trump He turned to the failure During the briefing at the White House on Thursday morning, where he confirmed that there were no survivors.

“I talk to you this morning in an hour of anguish for our nation,” said Trump.

He also criticized Biden administration and attacked the initiatives of diversity, but did not provide any evidence connecting the policy of the former president with the disaster.

Mr. Trump, who claimed that he had increased standards for those who work in the aviation industry, announced that he appointed Christopher Rocheleau as a Commissioner FAA. Mr. Trump said that the investigation into the collision is going on and “we have quite good ideas” about what it caused.

In an earlier statement, the president said: “Thank you for the amazing work done by our first respondents. I monitor the situation and give more details as they arise. “

In the truth in a social post, he asked what led to the disaster, writing: “This is a bad situation that looks like prevention. Not good !!!”

The newly confirmed defense secretary, Pete HegeSth, wrote in social media that Pentagon actively monitors the situation and “ready to help if needed.”

Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall said in a statement: “Today we received a destructive news about what can only be described as a nightmare … I pray that God wraps the arms of each sacrifice and that he continues to be with their families.”

Alexandria, Virginia, mayor Alyia Gaskins said in social media: “Earlier that evening we were devastated when we learned about the tragic incident from aviation near DCA. Our prayers are with everyone affected. Our fire, police and rescue staff help in a regional regional response. “Alexandria is south of the reagan Washington national airport.

Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia admitted that “there are many questions” about the deadly collision after his consequence.

“You can’t say much based on a video made at night, but the film material raises many questions about how it happened,” said Caine “CBS Mornings” on Thursday.

The first important trade disaster in the USA for almost 16 years

. The last main American air disaster He performed in February 2009, when Continental Airlines escaped from Newark, New Jersey, led by Colgan Air, crashed at home as he was approaching the airport in Buffalo in New York. This plane was a Q400 bombardier. Forty -nine people died in a tragedy. Continental merged with United Airlines in 2010.

The last important American Airlines disaster took place in November 2001 near the international airport of John F. Kennedy. Lot No. 587 American Airlines, Airbus A300, crashed shortly after starting, killing 265 people. He was associated with Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The plane crashed in Belle Harbor in Rockaways in the New York district of Queens.

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He contributed to this report.