WASHINGTON — A passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, leaving more than 60 people feared dead, officials said.
At a press conference early Thursday, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said rescue operations were ongoing and would be reassessed in the morning.
“We will reevaluate where we are with the rescue operation in the morning when we get a better sense of it,” Bowser said. “But we are still out there working, and we’re going to continue that throughout the night.”
She was joined by federal and local officials, including Washington D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly Sr., who said there was no confirmation yet of any survivors.
The American Airlines passenger jet, carrying 64 people, was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington when it collided with the military helicopter, which had three crew members on board.
While officials have not provided a formal death toll, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, where the flight originated, suggested that all aboard had perished.
“It’s really hard when you lose probably over 60 Kansans simultaneously,” he said.
The crash occurred as the plane was approaching Reagan for landing. Radio communications between the air traffic control tower and the Black Hawk suggest the helicopter crew was aware of the nearby passenger jet.
Authorities have not yet released details on what caused the collision, and an investigation is underway.
