There are several deadly victims
Audio of Air Traffic Control of the National Airport Reagan registered the moments before and after the collision of the
According to Reuters, which quotes the Liveatc.net audio, you can hear the latest communications between the three members of the PAT25 helicopter crew before colliding with the Bombardier CRJ700 jet.
“Pat25, do you have a CRJ in sight? Pat25, pass behind the CRJ ”, you hear an air traffic controller at 20:47 on Wednesday (01:47 in Lisbon).
Seconds later, it is possible to hear the communication of another plane to question “Tower, did you see that?”.
At the time of the accident – the explosion in full air occurred on the icy Potomac river – one of the air controllers is heard, “Crash, crash, crash, this is a three alert.”
“I don’t know if they caught what happened before, but there was a collision in the approach to 33. We will end the operations indefinitely,” says another controller.
All flights that went to Washington National Airport were then diverted.
“Both the helicopter and the plane have crashed into the river,” says a third air traffic controller. “It was probably in the middle of the river. I saw a fireball and then disappeared. I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ and a helicopter that rose.”
According to CBS, at least 18 bodies of the icy water of the Potomac river were rescued.
The Reuters agency advances that the United States Artistic Skating – the body that governs this sport in the United States – confirmed in a statement that several members of its skate community were aboard American Airlines flight 5342.
“These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning to the National Development Field House held in conjunction with the US Art Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. We are devastated by this indescribable tragedy and keep the families of the victims in our hearts. We will continue to follow the situation and disclose more information as soon as they are available, “reads the statement.
A US employee assured that no high -level military officer was in the helicopter.
