A major search and rescue operation is underway in the Potomac river in after an American Airlines plane collided in mid-air with a Black Hawk helicopter as it came into land at Ronald Reagan Airport.
60 passengers and four crew were onboard the passenger plane which had departed from Kansas whilst three people were onboard the US Army helicopter at the time of the incident.
According to CBS news, 18 bodies have been recovered although officials have so far refused to confirm the number of fatalities at this stage.
has taken to Truth Social to say that the incident “could have been prevented”.
He said: ” The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time.
“It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
300 rescue personnel have been deployed to the site (Image: Getty)
Moments before landing, audio footage has revealed communication between the passenger plane and air traffic control where the plane can be heard being cleared for landing on Runway 33 – with flight tracking sites showing the jet adjusted its approach.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, the air traffic controller can be heard telling the military helicopter to pass behind the American Airlines plane.
The controller made another call to the helicopter just moments later, saying: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.”
Seconds later, the two collided.
The mayor of Washington DC Muriel Bowser says firefighters and 300 responders are working “diligently” in dark and cold conditions and will continue to do so “for many hours”.
Authorities have held a press conference to provide updates on the rescue operation (Image: Getty)
The water is around eight feet deep with cold temperatures still set to drop further as the Washignton night progresses.
Kansas Senator Jerry Morgan spoke at a sombre news conference where he expressed his hope that bodies would be “recovered”.
Fellow Kansas Senator Roger Marshall said: “It’s really hard when you lose probably over 60 Kansans and simultaneously, I don’t want to forget the pilots and the flight attendants doing their job and the military personnel we lost.”
Reports suggest that many of those onboard had been in Wichita, Kansas to take part in a skating competition.
Hamaad Raza told local CBS affiliate WUSA he was at the airport waiting for his wife.
He said: “She texted me that she was landing in 20 minutes, the rest of my text didn’t get delivered. That’s when I realised that something might be up.
“I’m just praying that someone is pulling her out of the river right now.”