WASHINGTON — Sixty-four individuals aboard a business airliner died Wednesday night time after it collided with a navy helicopter midair close to Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport.

Each the American Eagle jet and Military Black Hawk are within the Potomac River. The Black Hawk had three personnel onboard.

The collision occurred shortly earlier than 9 p.m. ET.

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President Donald Trump referred to as the lethal collision a “a tragedy of horrible proportions” and stated there have been no survivors as he addressed reporters within the White Home briefing room Thursday morning.

“This was a darkish and excruciating night time in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s historical past and a tragedy of horrible proportions as one nation, we grieve for each valuable soul that has been taken from us so all of the sudden,” Trump stated.

No survivors from crash

All passengers and crew on each plane are feared lifeless, Trump stated Thursday morning. Dozens of our bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River, and the operation has turn out to be a significant restoration effort.

The flight carried a number of elite determine skaters from each the U.S. and Russia who had been touring again from a contest in Wichita.

Doug Zeghibe, CEO of The Skating Membership of Boston, stated 14 skaters returning residence from the nationwide growth camp in Wichita, Kansas, had been killed within the crash.

Of these, six had been from The Skating Membership of Boston — two coaches, two teenage athletes and the athletes’ moms. These six had been recognized as athlete Jinna Han; Jinna’s mom, Jin Han; athlete Spencer Lane; Spencer’s mom, Christine Lane; and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. 

Two Russian world champions had been additionally among the many passengers on the American Eagle flight, Russian state media reported.

By Thursday morning, officers stated that at the least two dozen our bodies had been pulled from the water. Of these, 27 had been from the American Eagle civilian jet and one from the U.S. Black Hawk helicopter, officers stated.

Boats and ambulances had been transporting human stays to a short lived morgue, and the D.C. health worker stated the restoration operation is the most important undertaken it had taken in many years.

The investigation into the crash

The Nationwide Transportation Security Board is main the investigation into the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Military may even be concerned within the investigation.

The investigation will contain amassing proof from the scene and reviewing radio visitors and information on plane flight paths. It should additionally contain speaking with air visitors controllers and interviewing them. The method can take a 12 months or longer.

The NTSB stated its investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight information recorder, and the black packing containers are at a lab for analysis.

Climate and communication didn’t look like points when the crash occurred Wednesday night time, as skies had been clear and pilots had been in communication with air visitors management.

Two aviation specialists additionally informed NBC Information that there was no proof pointing to missteps by the pilots.

Consultants count on dialogue with air visitors management to be one of many foremost focal factors of the investigation.

Each the aircraft and the helicopter had been being flown by skilled pilots who had “customary communication” with air visitors management after they crashed, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy informed reporters.

A supply with data of the state of affairs informed NBC Information that on the time of the crash, there was one controller within the air visitors management tower centered on each helicopters and airplanes, in accordance with a preliminary inside FAA security report on the collision. Normally, the tower has a separate controller who offers completely with helicopter visitors. FAA security requirements enable for the mixed place.