Fatal plane and helicopter collision sparks massive rescue effort
A rescue operation is underway near the disaster site as a team of divers searches the water. "The water is dark. It is murky. And that is a very tough condition for them to dive in," said the chief of the Washington State Fire Department.
The passenger plane, approaching Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport, collided with a military helicopter. The aircraft fell into the Potomac River.
The rescue operation continues on-site. The Washington State Fire Department chief highlights the challenging conditions: "The challenge is access. The water we are operating in is about 8 feet deep. There is wind, and there are chunks of ice. So it's simply dangerous and difficult to work there," reports John Donnelly.
"So it's just dangerous and hard to work in. And because there's not a lot of lights, you're out there searching every square inch of space to see if you can find anybody," he assured. "Divers are doing the same thing in the water. The water is dark. It is murky. And that is a very tough condition for them to dive in," he added.
Donnelly conveyed that over 300 rescuers are working at the site. "At 8:58 (p.m.), the first units arrived on the scene and found an aircraft in the water and began rescue operations. This incident has grown," he said, reiterating that the conditions there are extremely difficult.
"Hypothermia is a serious concern"
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, hypothermia is a serious "concern" for potential survivors and first responders at the plane crash site.
AccuWeather reported that on Wednesday evening, the water temperature in the Potomac River near the crash site was between 33 and 36 degrees Fahrenheit, or between 0 and 2 degrees Celsius.
"At these frigid water temperatures, the human body’s core temperature quickly drops. Exhaustion or unconsciousness can occur in as little as 15 to 30 minutes," said Dan DePodwin, senior director of forecasts at AccuWeather.
Plane crash in the USA: fatalities reported
The Bombardier CRJ700 passenger plane belonged to PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. It flew from Wichita, Kansas, and was scheduled to land in Washington. American Airlines informed CNN that there were 60 passengers and four crew members on board. Eighteen people died.
According to CNN, the passenger plane that crashed in the Potomac River near Reagan Airport outside Washington collided in mid-air with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter while approaching the runway. This information was provided in a statement by the Federal Aviation Administration.
