In a second crash within days… A US passenger plane collides with military helicopter in the air in Washington DC
Days after a US fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, a US passenger plane collided with a US military Black Hawk helicopter that was on a training mission, over the Potomac River, near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC.
The incident led to the suspension of all takeoffs and landings at the airport as of Thursday morning.
The Washington Fire and Emergency Services said a small plane crashed near the airport, and rescuers were on the scene.
The Metropolitan Police Department said a search for survivors had begun in the river, with divers and fire boats helping with the rescue effort.
So far, 18 bodies have been recovered, with searches continuing for more victims, and the Federal Aviation Administration said the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 plane collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter as it approached the airport at about 9 pm local time.
The plane was reportedly carrying 60 passengers and four crew members.
US Senator Ted Cruz announced that there were deaths in the accident, but he didn’t specify the exact number, and at the same time, the US military confirmed that 3 soldiers were on board the helicopter, and their condition is still not clear.
