Midair Collision Near D.C. Feared to Be Deadliest U.S. Air Disaster in Two Decades
An American Airlines passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The crash, which occurred around 9:00 PM local time, involved 64 people aboard the jet—60 passengers and four crew members—and three soldiers in the helicopter, according to U.S. officials.
Surveillance footage captured the tragedy, showing both aircraft lights converge before an explosion lit up the night sky near the Lincoln Memorial. Eyewitness Abadi Ismail described the incident as “horrendous” and likened the sounds to those of a war zone. Rescuers reported pulling at least 28 bodies from the icy Potomac River, but officials indicated that most, if not all, aboard the jet are expected to have perished, potentially marking this incident as the worst U.S. aviation disaster in nearly 25 years. The helicopter reportedly flew into the plane’s path during its landing approach, and radio communications confirmed that the helicopter crew was aware of the incoming jet.
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