Authorities have reported there are no expected survivors in the Washington D.C. plane crash.
On Wednesday night, a passenger plane with 64 people aboard crashed into an Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in both the plane and helicopter plunging into the frigid Potomac River.
Washington’s fire department chief, John Donnelly, reported there have been a total of 28 bodies recovered, and authorities “were switching from a search-and-rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
🚨BREAKING: It has been officially announced that there are no survivors in the DC plane crash.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 30, 2025
Mayor of Wichita, Kansas Lily Wu says there are likely no survivors in deadly plane crash at DCA. pic.twitter.com/liyQvw4fJh
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) January 30, 2025
Here’s what USA Today reported:
Officials believe there are no survivors after a passenger plane with 64 people aboard crashed into an Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport and fell into the frigid Potomac River.
John Donnelly, the chief of Washington’s fire department, said at a news conference Thursday morning that 28 bodies have been found and authorities were switching from a “search-and-rescue operation to a recovery operation.”
ADVERTISEMENT“At this point we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” he said.
The crash occurred just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, attempted to land and collided in midair with the Blackhawk helicopter, which was carrying three people. Donnelly said 27 people were recovered from the plane and one body was recovered from the helicopter.
🚨#BREAKING: Officials say that there are no survivors in the tragic D.C. mid-air collision that occurred last night as 67 people are now presumed dead
📌#Washington | #DC
Moments ago, emergency officials, including the fire chief, confirmed that there are no survivors in the… pic.twitter.com/I5bnO5oOAJ
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 30, 2025
Per The New York Post:
There are likely no survivors after an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided in the air over Washington DC Wednesday night — as the search and rescue operation has now become a recovery mission, officials said.
The American Airlines flight traveling from Wichita, Kan., collided with the military chopper while approaching Runaway 33 at the DC airport around 9 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
First responders have recovered at least 19 bodies from the river as of early Thursday, CBS reports.
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