UPDATE | US President Donald Trump has confirmed there are no survivors after a horror plane crash just outside Washington DC, the deadliest air accident in the US since 2001.
The American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 flight from Kansas was approaching the runway at Reagan National Airport in Virginia when it was hit by a Blackhawk helicopter just before 9pm local time.
Both aircraft then crashed into the Potomac River sparking a major emergency response.
All 60 passengers and four crew on board the plane and three people who were on board the helicopter are presumed dead.
President Trump says efforts are now turning to the recovery mission.
“We are one family, and today we are all heartbroken. We’re all searching for answers that icy, icy Potomac, or is it cold, cold night, cold water,” President Trump said.
We’re all overcome with the grief for many who have so tragically perished will no longer be with us together.
We take solace in the knowledge that their journey ended not in the cold waters of the Potomac, but in the warm embrace of a loving God.”
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Air safety investigators say it’s still too early to speculate on what may have caused the crash.
Work is now underway to locate the black box recorder from the American Airlines plane.
“We don’t know what we know just yet. We don’t know enough facts to be bale to rule in or out human factor, mechanical factors, that is part of the NTSB investigative process,” NTSB board member Todd Inman said.
EARLIER | A major emergency response is underway in the US after a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter just outside Washington D.C.
The American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 was approaching the runway at Reagan National Airport in Virginia when it was hit by a Blackhawk helicopter just before 9pm local time.
Both the plane and helicopter then crash into the Potomac River.
American Airlines has confirmed that the plane that departed Witchita in Kansas had 60 passengers and four crew members, while the helicopter had three people on board.
There is no immediate word on casualties with unconfirmed reports that four people have been pulled from the river.
Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump has confirmed he has been briefed on the unfolding situation, describing it as a ‘terrible accident’.
“May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders,” Trump said in a statement.
“I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
More to come.
