The entire airport has been shut down until at least 11:00 local time (16:00 GMT) while rescuers carry out rescue efforts in the icy cold river.
Washington DC Plane Crash Live Updates: Reagan National Airport shut till 11:00 am local time
Passenger Plane Crash Near Washington DC’s Reagan Airport Live Updates: Moments after an American Airlines plane with 64 aboard collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter outside of Washington D.C on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump said that he had been briefed on the “terrible accident” and was monitoring the situation.
What do we know so far? The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with the Black Hawk helicopter which had three soldiers aboard. All take-offs and landings have been halted at the airport as the rescue operation got underway.
Dozens of firefighters are “engaged in dive operations” on the Potomac River. US Senator Ted Cruz said “We know there are fatalities” from the plane and helicopter collision, although he did not give out any further details about it.
The entire airport has been shut down until at least 11:00 local time (16:00 GMT) while rescuers carry out rescue efforts in the icy cold river.
The Kremlin on Thursday expressed its condolences to the families of Russian citizens who lost their lives in the American Airlines plane crash in Washington on Wednesday night.
Russian ice skating coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were on board the plane that crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision near Reagan Washington National Airport.
When asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin planned to offer condolences to US President Donald Trump in a phone call, Peskov said there were no plans for high-level contacts for now. (Reuters)
A press briefing will take place at 7:30 am ET (6:15 pm IST) at Reagan National Airport, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a post on X. The briefing will be live-streamed on the platform.
“Tonight, as our first responders continue their efforts, we are sending our love and prayers to the families, loved ones, and communities who are experiencing loss during this terrible tragedy. We will provide our next briefing at 7:30 AM at DCA. It will be live on this account,” she said.
Air traffic control audio recorded the final moments before and after the crash of an American Airlines regional passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter after a midair collision in Washington on Wednesday night.
Audio from LiveATC.net captured the final communications between the three crew members of the helicopter – call sign PAT25 – before it collided with the CRJ700 Bombardier jet carrying 64 passengers and crew, news agency Reuters reported.
“PAT25, do you have a CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ,” an air traffic controller said at 8.47 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday (01:47 GMT on Thursday).
Seconds later, another aircraft called in to air traffic control, saying, “Tower, did you see that?” – apparently referring to the crash. An air traffic controller then redirected planes heading to runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport to go around.
The explosion in midair occurred over the frigid Potomac River near the airport.
“Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three,” one of the air traffic controllers can be heard saying in the audio from around the time of the crash. (Reuters)
Source:https://indianexpress.com/article/world/washington-dc-plane-crash-live-updates-american-airlines-us-army-helicopter-9806979/