News Update Friday, &nbsp;7.10 AM IST
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A tragic midair collision between a regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter at a Washington airport has left 67 people dead in what is now the deadliest U.S. air disaster in over two decades. Authorities said on Thursday that the cause of the crash remains unclear as investigations continue.
The regional jet, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. Among those on board were several elite figure skaters traveling from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships' National Development Camp.
The Black Hawk helicopter, operated by the U.S. Army, was on a training mission from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with three experienced crew members. According to the Defense Department, the helicopter was conducting routine exercises when the collision occurred.
President Donald Trump, without citing evidence, suggested that federal diversity efforts could have played a role in the crash. His remarks have drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and Democratic leaders, who accused him of politicizing the tragedy.
As authorities work to determine the cause of the collision, aviation and military experts are reviewing air traffic control communications, flight paths, and operational protocols. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched a full-scale investigation.
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No survivors have been found of American Eagle Flight 5342 that collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near the Reagan National Airport in Washington DC Wednesday night. According to officials, all 67 people involved in the crash are now presumed dead.&nbsp;
Both aircrafts fell into the Potomac river.
The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four members of the crew while the helicopter had three service members.
Rescuers had pulled out several bodies from the icy cold water of the river till early Thursday morning, but no survivors. The temperature of the water in the river was dangerously low around 0 degree celsius.
NBC&rsquo;s Washington affiliate has reported rescuers have recovered 30 bodies from the river.
The plane was carrying passengers from Wichita in the state of Kansas to the National Airport.
DC authorities have said the plane had broken into pieces and the helicopter was found upside down in the river.
Rescue helicopters hovered over the river with flood lights as boats and rescuers combed the river for survivors and bodies.
The collision reportedly took place around 8.47 pm, local time.
The Army helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk on a training flight, US military officials have said. It was assigned to Bravo Company of the 12th Aviation Battalion, which operates out of Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir, in nearby Virginia.
Two renowned former Russian figure skaters were on board the passenger plane, the Kremlin has said according to reports.
They were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitri Peskov did not identify them at a briefing but confirmed when asked if they were on board.
He also suggested that other Russian nationals were aboard the crashed flight.
&ldquo;There were other of our fellow citizens there as well,&rdquo; he said.
Shishkova and Naumov won gold at the 1994 Figure Skating World Championship for Russia. The Washington Post reported the married pair lived in the United States since at least 1998, where they coached young ice skaters.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed his concerns, stating that the accident &ldquo;should have been prevented&rdquo; and questioned why authorities failed to inform the helicopter to divert its route.
Trump posted on his social media platform &lsquo;Truth Social&rsquo;, describing the events leading up to the collision. &ldquo;The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time,&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It is a clear night, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn&rsquo;t the helicopter go up or down, or turn? Why didn&rsquo;t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. Not good,&rdquo;he continued.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an immediate investigation had been launched by the Pentagon and the Army. He called the incident &ldquo;absolutely tragic&rdquo; and offered prayers for the victims and their families.
&mdash;IANS

Debris of the American Airlines passenger plane that went down over the Potomac River on Wed night

Army helicopter, jet collide in fatal Washington crash

Deadliest U.S. air crash in over 20 years kills 67

Army helicopter, jet collide in fatal Washington crash

January 31, 2025 | 01:34 IST