ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — A massive search and rescue effort was launched in the adjacent Potomac River on Wednesday after a passenger jet crashed with a military helicopter during landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington.
As helicopters from agencies throughout the region flew over the scene in search of survivors, all takeoffs and landings from the airport near Washington were stopped, though there was no immediate information on deaths. From a location close to the airport on the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport, inflatable rescue boats were being lowered into the Potomac River.
A regional plane that had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter as it approached an airport runway at approximately 9 p.m. EST, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
American Airlines acknowledged allegations that one of their flights was involved in the incident in a social media post, and it promised to share further details as soon as they were available.
Two sets of lights that appear to unite in a fireball are seen on video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center’s webcam captured an explosion over the Potomac in midair.HInYdhBYs5: https://t.co/v75sxitpH6pic.twitter.com
According to the airport, there was an aircraft incident on the airstrip and emergency workers were responding.
The tragedy brought to mind the January 13, 1982, disaster of an Air Florida jet that killed 78 passengers when it crashed into the Potomac. The weather was blamed for that crash.
Other information was not readily accessible.
