No Survivors after Mid-Air Collision Between Regional Jet, Black Hawk Helicopter at Reagan National Airport
There are no survivors after a mid-air collision between a regional jet and a military helicopter at Reagan National Airport Wednesday night.
The American Eagle flight from Wichita with 64 souls --- 60 passengers and four crew members -- aboard was landing at the airport about 9 p.m. when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60, with three on board.
D.C. Fire and EMS as well as crews from other Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria searched the Potomac River where both aircraft landed. The water temperature was 42 degrees.
Divers recovered several bodies Thursday morning from the fuselage that broke into at least three pieces.
Fire and EMS crews saluted as the flag-draped remains of one of the military personnel was loaded into an ambulance.
The operation -- that involved about 300 responders -- was switched from rescue to recovery, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. said Thursday morning, adding that the D.C. medical examiner's office is heading the identification process.
Crews on fire boats relay each body to an ambulance which takes it to a portable morgue. Once there, the remains are transferred to another vehicle. Workers hold up sheets to provide dignity for the victims' families.
The black boxes have not been located. However, NTSB officials say they feel certain they will be.
NTSB Chair Jennifer L. Homendy said during a press conference investigators have already started to examine some aspects of the crash. She would not discuss widespread speculations about what caused the deadly collision.
Teams have been assigned various tasks that will be included in a preliminary that may be issued in 30 days.
She also would not discuss the victims who perished, saying information would come from the D.C. medical examiner.
"U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342...These athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita," WUSA9 reported late Thursday morning.
