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  • Washington Plane Collision: DC Fire And EMS Chief Hold Press Conference; Say ‘Will Find All Bodies’

Washington Plane Collision: DC Fire And EMS Chief Hold Press Conference; Say ‘Will Find All Bodies’

A devastating midair collision over the Potomac River on Wednesday night has left no survivors, officials confirmed. The crash involved an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, leading to the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft.

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Washington Plane Collision: DC Fire And EMS Chief Hold Press Conference; Say ‘Will Find All Bodies’

A devastating midair collision over the Potomac River on Wednesday night has left no survivors, officials confirmed.


A devastating midair collision over the Potomac River on Wednesday night has left no survivors, officials confirmed. The crash involved an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, leading to the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft.

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Officials Confirm No Survivors From The Collision

DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly shared the heartbreaking news in a press conference on Thursday morning. “We are now at a point where we’re switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” he stated.

Recovery teams have already retrieved 28 bodies—27 from the American Airlines jet and one from the Army helicopter. Authorities are continuing efforts to recover the remaining victims.

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Search and Recovery Efforts Underway 

Officials remain confident that they will be able to recover all the bodies of those who lost their lives in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken over the next phase of the operation, which will involve more specialized equipment to search the river.

“I’m confident that we will do that, and that will take us a little bit of time, though. It may involve some more equipment,” Donnelly said.

The crash resulted in the deaths of 64 passengers aboard the American Airlines jet and all three crew members on the Black Hawk helicopter.

American Airlines CEO Blames Military Helicopter For Collision

In the aftermath of the crash, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom appeared to suggest that the military helicopter was responsible for the collision. “At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom said during a Thursday morning statement.

The comment has raised questions about flight safety and whether proper protocols were followed by both aircraft before the crash.

Government Officials Weigh In on the

Collision

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy defended the flight paths taken by both aircraft, noting that they were following standard procedures.

“Last night was clear, and the helicopter was following the standard pattern. If you’re a DC local, you’re no stranger to seeing helicopters moving along the river. This was a standard flight pattern last night as well,” Duffy explained.

He also expressed his belief that the tragedy could have been avoided. “We are going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point, but … what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely,” he stated.

Investigation Into the Cause of the Collision

Investigators from the NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are currently working to determine the exact cause of the midair collision. They will examine air traffic control communications, radar data, and any available black box recordings from both aircraft.

As the search for answers continues, families of the victims are left mourning the devastating loss of their loved ones. The tragedy has also sparked a wider discussion about air safety regulations and the risks of civilian and military aircraft sharing the same airspace.

ALSO READ: Sunita Williams, Stranded In Space For 237 Days, Tries To ‘Remember How to Walk’


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