U.S. officials have stated that they believe no one survived the tragic midair collision between a regional jet and an army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport, close to Washington, D.C. The crash occurred when a Bombardier CRJ700, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter, which had three soldiers on board. The collision happened around 9 p.m. EST, and all 64 people on board both aircraft are presumed dead.
Search crews have recovered 28 bodies from the wreckage, but no survivors have been found so far. Helicopters from law enforcement agencies and inflatable rescue boats were deployed to search the nearby Potomac River, where some wreckage had fallen. Due to freezing temperatures in the region, the search efforts have been complicated. Emergency officials noted that rescue operations have been particularly challenging due to dark and icy conditions.
President Donald Trump was briefed on the accident and expressed his condolences. CNN reported that the fatalities were confirmed, and rescue teams had yet to find any survivors. The crash took place just three miles from the White House, in one of the most heavily monitored airspaces in the world. Russia’s state media also confirmed that two world-champion Russian figure skaters were among those aboard the plane.
