A new video shows the moment an American Airlines plane exploded into a fireball after colliding midair with an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, DC, late Wednesday. The footage, taken from a terminal at Ronald Reagan National Airport, captured the fiery crash as both aircraft fell into the Potomac River.
Audio from air traffic controllers reveals their shock, with one repeating “Crash, crash, crash.” By Thursday morning, at least 28 bodies were recovered from the river. The collision, which involved 64 people on the plane and three soldiers on the helicopter, is feared to be the deadliest US aviation disaster in over two decades. Officials have shifted from rescue to recovery efforts, and authorities suspect no survivors.
The wreckage was found in the river, and the cause of the collision remains under investigation. Flight conditions were clear at the time, with the helicopter unexpectedly crossing the plane’s path.
WATCH THE VIDEO
