Hamaad Raza was waiting at Washington DC's Reagan National Airport airport for his wife when he saw a flurry of activity and rescue teams rushing towards the Potomac river. The American Airlines passenger jet, that his wife was on, collided with a military chopper as it was landing.
“My wife texted me that she was landing in 20 minutes," Raza told CBS News. "I am just praying someone is pulling her out of the river right now."
Track live updates here: Washington DC plane crash updates: At least 18 bodies pulled from river after jet-chopper collision, more deaths feared
Raza's fears echoed the sense of urgency felt by rescue teams who immediately launched multiple boats into the Potomac. First responders illuminated the area with light towers from the shore, and law enforcement helicopters hovered above the crash site as a search for survivors continued. Eighteen bodies have already been pulled out, and more casualties are feared.
Washington horror: What happened?
The collision occurred in one of the most heavily monitored airspaces in the world, just three miles south of the White House and the US Capitol. Flight tracking data indicated the regional jet, a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701, was descending toward Reagan National at an altitude of approximately 400 feet when it rapidly lost altitude over the Potomac River. Air traffic controllers had cleared the plane to land on a shorter runway, Runway 33, moments before the collision.
{{/usCountry}}The collision occurred in one of the most heavily monitored airspaces in the world, just three miles south of the White House and the US Capitol. Flight tracking data indicated the regional jet, a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701, was descending toward Reagan National at an altitude of approximately 400 feet when it rapidly lost altitude over the Potomac River. Air traffic controllers had cleared the plane to land on a shorter runway, Runway 33, moments before the collision.
{{/usCountry}}According to the FAA, just 30 seconds before impact, the air traffic controller made a final radio call to the helicopter, asking if it had the commercial jet in sight. A subsequent call instructed the helicopter to pass behind the jet, but seconds later, the two aircraft collided in midair.
A nearby observation camera at the Kennedy Center captured footage of what appeared to be two sets of lights merging into a fireball, marking the moment of the crash. The plane’s radio transponder ceased transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, directly above the river.
In the wake of the crash, President Donald Trump expressed his condolences, saying he had been "fully briefed on this terrible accident" and offered his thoughts and prayers for the victims. "May God Bless their souls," Trump added in his statement.
Reagan Airport shuts operations
Reagan National airport, which is located on the banks of the Potomac, was closed immediately after the collision, with operations expected to resume by 5 am on Friday. The airport is a popular gateway for tourists to Washington, D.C., providing stunning views of iconic landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the US Capitol.
The crash has brought to mind the tragic Air Florida disaster of 1982, when an airliner plunged into the Potomac, claiming 78 lives. This latest crash marks the first fatal accident involving a US commercial airliner since 2009, when a similar tragedy occurred near Buffalo, New York, killing 50 people.