An American Airlines regional plane participated in a collision in the air on Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration.
In a statement to TPG, FAA said a regional stream entered Wichita, Kansas, crashed with a military helicopter while preparing to land in DCA. The plane, a Bombardier CRJ700, was operated by PSA Airlines, a regional subsidiary of American.
The incident took place at 8:45 pm Est, DC Fire and EMS confirmed.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the American Eagle flight, the carrier told TPG.
The FAA stopped all the take -off and landings on Wednesday night in the middle of a large -scale investigation and the search for survivors in the nearby Potomac River.
“They are working diligently in very dark and cold conditions, cold water, to execute this rescue operation,” said the mayor of DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser at a press conference around 1 in the morning on Thursday.
The military helicopter involved in the accident on Wednesday night was in the middle of a training flight, said the US Army.
Local and regional fire responders and emergencies were on stage doing search and rescue. The United States Coast Guard joined the search, said the Secretary of National Security, Kristi Noem. The helicopter had three people on board at that time, Bowser confirmed.
The American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, launched a video message on Wednesday night and confirmed plans to travel to DC
“I would like to express our deep pain about these events. This is a difficult day for all of us in American Airlines and our efforts are now completely focused on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, lifeguards, along with their families and loved ones, “Isom said.
The airline urged those who believe they can have loved ones aboard the flight to call the free number of American Airlines at (800) 679-8215.
From 1 in the morning on Thursday, the number of victims was still clear. The National Transportation Board will lead the investigation, said FAA. NTSB researchers were on stage on Thursday, the agency confirmed.
The airline sent a “Go” team to Washington, Isom said in its video message.
“We are actively working with local, state and federal authorities in emergency response efforts,” Isom said.
American planned to establish a communications center within a DCA Admirals, confirmed the authorities.
The recently confirmed US secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, was at the FAA headquarters on Wednesday night, said, and ordered the agency to support the NTSB and other agencies in the midst of the investigation.
“We want to extend our thoughts and prayers to those people who were affected by tonight’s events: their families, we know that this is a very difficult time for everyone,” Duffy said at the press conference on Thursday.
The largest pilot union in the country issued a statement on Wednesday night and said it was “shocked and sad for the tragic accident in DCA.”
“Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy and the Alpa accident research team is responding to help the National Transportation Security Board in their investigation,” said the airline pilots association.
The airport closest to Washington, DC, Reagan National is in some of the most congested and closely regulated air spaces in the country.
Immediately after the accident, 19 planes that were in the air were diverted to the nearby Dulles International Airport (IAD), according to Jack Potter, CEO of the Governing Body of DCA, the Washington airport metropolitan authority.
As the investigation takes place, Potter said that DCA would remain closed up to at least 11 am on Thursday, although this line of time is likely to remain fluid.
Among the closing of the airport, several important US airlines issued travel exemptions that allow passengers with flights to or from the airport during the next day or two to make changes to the itinerary at no cost.
Some of those travel notices can be found below:
Before Wednesday’s accident, almost 16 years had passed since the last important accident that involved a commercial plane on American soil.
This is a development story. Consult again to get more updates.
