28 bodies recovered from Washington DC mid-air crash
Rescue teams have recovered a total of 28 bodies following the tragic mid-air collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Officials confirmed on Thursday that they do not believe there are any survivors from the crash. The bodies of 27 passengers from the plane and one service member from the helicopter have been recovered.
The American Eagle flight, a PSA Airlines-operated American Airlines aircraft, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The Black Hawk helicopter, which was on a training mission, had three service members aboard at the time of the collision. D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly addressed the press, stating, “At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” and added that the bodies recovered included 27 from the plane and one from the helicopter.
The collision occurred around 8:47 p.m. on Wednesday evening when the two aircraft fell into the Potomac River, which runs along the airport. The passenger plane broke into pieces upon impact, while the helicopter was found upside down in the river. Rescue teams, including helicopters with floodlights and boats, have been scouring the river for survivors and bodies.
The American Airlines flight was coming from Wichita, Kansas, and was in the process of landing at Reagan National Airport when the crash occurred. Meanwhile, the Army helicopter involved was a UH-60 Black Hawk from Bravo Company of the 12th Aviation Battalion, based at Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
In response to the tragedy, President Donald Trump issued a statement saying, “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
In a somber development, it was reported that two renowned Russian former figure skaters, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were aboard the passenger flight. The Kremlin confirmed their presence on the plane, though the names were not initially disclosed. Shishkova and Naumov won a gold medal at the 1994 Figure Skating World Championship for Russia. The married couple had been residing in the United States since at least 1998, where they worked as coaches for young ice skaters.
As recovery efforts continue, the investigation into the cause of the crash is underway. Authorities are working to identify the other victims and provide closure to the families affected by this tragic incident.
