Media outlets pointed to unsuitable weather conditions in the Potomac River for rescue efforts

Muddy water, as well as strong and cold winds complicate the search for the dead and possible survivors in the Potomac River after the collision of a passenger plane and a military helicopter, said the chief of the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services of Washington John Donnelly. The New York Times (NYT) reported on January 30.

"Conditions there are extremely harsh for rescuers. There is high winds and cold on the river," Donnelly stated.

It is specified that according to the National Weather Service, the temperature in Washington, D.C. could drop to -1 degrees.

Gone under water: in the U.S., an airplane collided with a helicopter near the Potomac River

Extensive work is underway, divers are retrieving bodies

On the night of January 30, an American Airlines passenger jet and a Blackhawk military helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC.

So far, at least 18 bodies have been found at the site of the plane crash. The search continues. A total of 60 passengers and four crew members were on board the American Airlines plane. There were three military personnel in the helicopter.

US President Donald Trump called the airplane crash that occurred in Washington terrible. He said that the tragedy could have been avoided if the helicopter crew had changed course.