An American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, and plummeted into the river.
According to BBC, American Airlines flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, travelling from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan National Airport, which was scheduled to land around 9 p.m. local time in Washington, DC, crashed above the Potomac River after colliding with the US Army helicopter at around 8:53 p.m.
The plane, a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members on board while there were three soldiers in the helicopter.
A law enforcement source familiar with the matter told BBC partner CBS that the authorities have so far recovered at least 19 bodies while the rescue operation is underway.
Moreover, the American governing body for the sport confirmed that several members of US Figure Skating were on the flight that suffered a tragic incident.
US Figure Skating stated, “These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available,” it added.
Furthermore, the members of the skating community were probably returning from the 2025 Prevagen US Figure Skating Championships that took place between January 20-26, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas.
