Citing a police officer, CBS News reported on Thursday morning, at least 18 bodies have been recovered following a midair collision between a regional passenger plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport.
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| Emergency units respond after a passenger aircraft collided with a helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images |
Three (3) US Army soldiers were onboard the helicopter that collided midair at the Potomac River with the passenger plane carrying sixty-four (64) people.
The exact number of fatalities is yet to be ascertained.
Following the unfortunate incident, Reagan Airport announced, takeoffs and landings at at the airport have been halted.
In its statement, Reagan Airport said: “Around 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening, emergency personnel at Reagan National Airport initiated their response to a crash between a passenger aircraft, identified by the FAA as American Eagle flight 5342, and a Sikorsky helicopter. Mutual aid from neighboring agencies were called to assist, and takeoffs and landings at the airport were halted for the remainder of the evening. We will continue to post information as it becomes available.
“A media briefing on the incident is scheduled inside Terminal 1 at 12:30 a.m.”
