An American Airlines regional passenger jet and a UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter collided in the sky over Washington, D.C., after which both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
According to officials, rescue services immediately arrived at the scene.
The passenger plane was carrying 64 people, including the crew, while the military helicopter was carrying three soldiers. Authorities are continuing the search and rescue operation, and relatives and friends of the missing are beginning to gather at the airport in the hope of obtaining new information.
The Pentagon confirmed that the helicopter belonged to the Fort Belvoir military base in Virginia. The U.S. Army has expressed its readiness to work closely with local authorities to clarify all the circumstances of the tragedy.
This incident drew attention to airspace safety issues in the United States. The last fatal passenger plane crash in the country was in 2009.
Recall
Earlier it was reported that a small plane crashed and fell into the Potomac River near the national airport in Arlington. The airport has temporarily suspended operations and a search and rescue operation is underway.