What Happened to the Passengers connected American Airlines Flight 5342?

On the evening of Jan. 29, American Airlines formation 5342 traveling from Witchita, Kan., to Washington, D.C. collided with a United States Army Black Hawk chopper adjacent the Reagan Washington National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter. The level carrying 60 passengers and 4 unit members and the helicopter, which had three people aboard, crashed into the Potomac River. 

The rider jet, a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-700 bid twin-engine jet, was operated by American Airlines' subsidiary airline, PSA Airlines.

What was archetypal a rescue ngo has go a betterment operation, with 28 bodies being recovered from the stream as of publishing time, District of Columbia occurrence main John Donnelly confirmed.

"At this point, we bash not judge determination were immoderate survivors," the authoritative said astatine a Jan. 30 property conference. "We volition enactment to find each the bodies and reunite them with their loved ones."

As officials enactment the pieces unneurotic surrounding the horrific incident, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared that the chopper was successful a "standard formation pattern" during the collision and was alert of the level successful the vicinity.

"Last night, the chopper was successful a modular pattern," helium explained astatine the property conference. "If you unrecorded successful the D.C. area, you'll spot helicopters up and down the river, this formation signifier is seen oftentimes erstwhile you unrecorded successful D.C."

Who Was Onboard American Airlines Flight 5342?

Among the 60 passengers were American fig skaters, coaches and household members who were astatine a campy successful Wichita, Kan., according to U.S. Figure Skating.

"These athletes, coaches, and household members were returning location from the National Development Camp held successful conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships," the governing assemblage shared successful a connection obtained by NBC News. "We are devastated by this unspeakable calamity and clasp the victims' families intimately successful our hearts."

World champion Russian fig skating duo Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who wed successful 1995, were besides onboard, Russian authorities media confirmed.

"Bad quality from Washington today," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, per NBC News. "We grieve and console with the families and friends who mislaid those of our chap citizens who died successful this level crash."

One man, whose woman was besides connected the American Airlines flight, was waiting for her astatine the planetary airport.

"I'm conscionable praying that somebody's pulling her retired of the stream close present arsenic we speak," helium told CBS affiliate WUSA9. "That's each I tin commune for. I'm conscionable praying to God."

Who Was Onboard the U.S. Army Helicopter Involved successful the Collision?

The chopper was from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion retired of Davison Army Airfield successful Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Public Affairs Deputy Director for Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/Military District of Washington Ron McLendon II confirmed to NBC News.

The authoritative shared that the craft was successful the mediate of a grooming ngo astatine the clip of the collision. 

What Happens Next After Recover Efforts for American Airlines Flight 5342?

The FAA, U.S. Army and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the collision, with the second taking the lead.

While determination are inactive much questions than answers, erstwhile NTSB and FAA researcher Jeff Guzzetti told Today that the aerial postulation power communications that nighttime are "going to beryllium scrutinized by the NTSB, that controller volition beryllium interviewed and the radar information volition beryllium looked astatine by the NTSB."

As of this moment, officials are inactive searching for the achromatic boxes—which grounds the accusation from the formation and its route—at the clang scene, an NTSB root told NBC News.

Who Has Spoken Out After American Airlines Flight 5342 Crashed Into the Potomac River?

President Donald J. Trump shared his condolences astir the tragedy.

"I person been afloat briefed connected the unspeakable mishap which conscionable took spot astatine Reagan National Airport," the White House connection said. "May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the unthinkable enactment being done by our archetypal responders. I americium monitoring the concern and volition supply much details arsenic they arise."

Ilia Malinin, the men's fig skater who won his 3rd consecutive U.S. fig skating rubric successful Witchita Jan. 26, confirmed helium was not onboard the flight. He wrote connected his Instagram Stories, "I anticipation and commune for everyone who was connected that formation is OK." 

Wichita Mayor Lily Wu also expressed her grief, saying astatine a property league that their "hearts are dense arsenic a city."

"We mourn with each those who person been impacted," she said. "This is simply a unspeakable calamity that volition unite those successful Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas, forever."