Tragedy in mid‑air: Passengers watch crash unfold live
Passengers on a plane flying over Washington experienced moments of terror when live footage of an air disaster appeared on the screens in front of them. The harrowing scenes depicted a collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter, both of which crashed into the Potomac River.
On the screens, passengers saw an urgent bulletin about the accident. The plane fell silent, and the passengers held their breath as they watched the dramatic events unfold. Fear and uncertainty were palpable in the air.
The disaster unfolding below served as a warning to the passengers. As rescuers continued searching for survivors in the Potomac River, they wondered about their safety.
There were 64 people on board the crashed American Airlines plane. The military Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision was transporting three soldiers.
American media reported that rescuers have already recovered over 30 bodies from the Potomac River.
- We don't believe there are any survivors - said the head of the fire and rescue services in the U.S. capital at a press conference.
According to a person familiar with the matter, many people have died. Still, the exact number is unknown as rescue teams search for survivors, reports the American news agency Associated Press.
Young figure skaters, their coaches, and family members returning from the U.S. Championships in Kansas were among the passengers on the American Airlines plane. The U.S. Figure Skating Federation confirmed to CNN that "several members of its community" were on the flight.
The victims of the air disaster include Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, Russian world figure skating champions from 1994, who had lived in the U.S. for years.
