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

On Thursday, January 30, it became known about a terrible tragedy that happened in the United States. Not far from the capital of the country, Washington, an airplane and a military helicopter collided, after which both went under water. It is reported that there were 67 people on board the aircraft. Information is being updated at the moment, but there has been no official confirmation of survivors. More about the disaster, its causes and the work of emergency services at the scene - in the material "Izvestia".

Airplane crash on the Potomac River: what happened, response

On Thursday, January 30, there were reports that the plane of American Airlines (American Airlines), on board of which there were 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with a military helicopter of the US Army Black Hawk, on which there were three people. The airplane was already heading for the runway of the Reagan Airport (located in the suburb of the U.S. capital Washington, DC, Arlington metropolitan area) when tragedy struck. As a result of the incident, both craft plummeted into the Potomac River. The plane split into several parts and plunged into the water for two meters.

Immediately after the incident, emergency services were sent to the scene of the disaster. Takeoffs and landings at Reagan Airport were suspended, planes were sent to other air harbors. An interagency search and rescue operation was deployed at the scene of the accident, the roads to the scene were blocked.

The plane is known to have been headed out of Wichita, Kansas. The military helicopter was reportedly making a training flight.

Wednesday night's tragedy was the first in the U.S. in 15 years. The last passenger plane crash of this magnitude occurred in 2009 and killed 49 people. Then the plane, which was traveling from Newark (New Jersey) to Buffalo (New York), crashed into an apartment building during an approach.

Tragedy on the Potomac River: victims, whether there were Russian citizens on board

Work on the Potomac River is planned for several days, data on victims and survivors will also appear gradually. At the time of publication of the article, the number of bodies that were taken out of the river, at least reached 19.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the water temperature in the Potomac is only 1.6 degrees above zero, because of this there is a high risk of cold shock and hypothermia. In addition, a person in cold water can lose mobility of limbs after three minutes and lose consciousness after 15-30 minutes. Survival in such water is possible for a maximum of 90 minutes.

"Cold shock can cause instant panic, uncontrolled rapid breathing and serious cardiovascular disorders," the US National Weather Service said in a statement.

The U.S. Figure Skating Federation confirmed that several skaters were on board the crashed plane. Among them could be world champions in figure skating in pairs as part of the Russian national team Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (1994), as well as the bronze medalist of the USSR championship in pairs skating Inna Volyanskaya (1980). The athletes had American citizenship.

Collision of a helicopter with a U.S. airplane: causes of the crash

According to the conclusion of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States, one of the possible causes of a large-scale crash is the error of the dispatcher. He asked the crew of the Black Hawk helicopter whether they could see the aircraft. Those confirmed that the craft was being observed and requested a "visual echelon" to avoid a collision.

The helicopter was following at the same altitude while the passenger airliner was descending. The air traffic controller did not signal the Black Hawk to change course without altitude changes.

In addition, the FBI noted that all inquiries regarding the incident should be directed to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Airplane crash in Washington: what is happening now

The crash occurred in one of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspaces in the world, just a few kilometers from the White House. The airport has suspended all aircraft takeoffs and landings until at least 11:00 a.m. local time (19:00 Moscow time) on January 30. The airport terminal remains open. All passengers of the canceled flights were offered to rebook their tickets.

At the moment about 300 people are involved in the search and rescue operation on the Potomac River. Dozens of ambulances, police and firefighters continue to head to the crash site.

New Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he has discussed the plane crash with local authorities. He reportedly instructed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to "provide full support."

In addition, diving teams have been activated by Maryland state authorities. According to the state's governor, Wes Moore, the state's emergency management office has raised the readiness level of its coordination center to "enhanced" mode. Officers from the Maryland State Police and the state's Marine Police are also participating in the operation.

As Washington authorities note, rescue efforts are now taking place in extremely uncomfortable conditions. Complicating the situation is the cold and strong wind.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom has also headed to the U.S. capital to assess the situation and support employees. The airline has also organized a phone line for friends and relatives of the plane's passengers.

Reaction to the plane crash in the US

The President of the country Donald Trump has already reacted to the incident, "I have been fully informed about the horrific accident that took place at Reagan Airport. May God watch over their souls!" - said in a written statement released by the White House press office.

In addition, the American leader thanked everyone who is currently working at the scene: "I am following the development of the situation and will share details as they emerge."

Donald Trump in the social network Truth Social also expressed bewilderment at what happened: "The night was cloudless, the aircraft's parking lights were on. Why didn't the helicopter go up, come down or make a turn?".

Representatives of other countries also began to express their condolences, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif: "Deeply saddened by the tragic news of the mid-air collision of a passenger plane and a military helicopter in Washington DC."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also wrote on social media X: "My deepest condolences for the loss of so many lives in the plane crash in Washington DC. Today we are all with the American people at this tragic moment."

Washington tragedy: history repeats itself

The plane crash in Washington, D.C., could be one of the largest in U.S. history. At the same time, it is not the first in this place. So, on January 13, 1982, 43 years ago, an Air Florida flight crashed into a bridge and fell into the Potomac River. Seventy-four of the 79 passengers and crew members died, along with four people in cars on the bridge.

Then the Boeing 737-200 airliner's engines shut down. The cause of the tragedy was that ground services did not treat the plane with de-icing fluid, and the aircraft commander did not refuse takeoff after noticing abnormal instrument readings.

The incident prompted the FAA to radically revise its winter weather safety guidelines.