Chicago-bound traveler at DC airport reacts to plane crash
Chicago-bound traveler at DC airport reacts to American Airlines plane crash
A traveler heading to Midway Airport in Chicago from DC is speaking out on the American Airlines plane crash.
CHICAGO - A Chicago-bound traveler waiting for her flight at Reagan National Airport was shocked to learn about the collision between an American Airlines passenger flight and a military helicopter on Wednesday night.
The traveler, identified only as Debbie, arrived early for her flight to Chicago’s Midway Airport, where she had upcoming doctor’s appointments.
Debbie, said she visits Chicago about once a month for care because her cardiology team is in the city.
All feared dead
The backstory:
Officials do not believe anyone survived the midair collision between the American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter over Ronald Reagan National Airport.
The American Airlines jet had 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.
According to officials, the helicopter apparently flew into the flight path of the plane while it was landing at the airport.
The crash triggered a major search-and-rescue operation in the icy Potomac River. Dozens of bodies were recovered from the waters during the overnight hours. The plane's fuselage was found upside down and broken into three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also located.
If the casualty numbers hold, this incident could become the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years.
"I can't believe this is happening"
What they're saying:
Debbie said she arrived at the airport Wednesday night for her early Thursday morning flight and wasn’t sure what to do next.
"I can't believe that this is happening, the whole airport is shut down, is that correct?" she asked.
"I am completely in shock about this," Debbie said. "I mean, this is horrible."
Debbie expressed shock as she recalled being at the airport on the day of the inauguration, when prominent figures were flying in and out.
"We have so much going on in this country right now with transition," she said. "I was here for the inauguration and, you know, I came to the airport and saw the president's plane fly in and out of here."
DC plane crash: Officials provide updates on recovery efforts in Potomac River
What initially began as a rescue operation has now shifted to a full-scale recovery mission, as authorities have stated they do not expect to find any survivors.
Investigation underway
What's next:
D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly said first responders continue to search an area of the Potomac River extending as far south as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, approximately three miles from the airport.
American Airlines has established centers in Washington and Wichita, Kansas, to assist people searching for information about family members and loved ones.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration have joined the National Transportation Safety Board-led investigation of the midair collision.
DC plane crash: Aviation expert breaks down factors leading to deadly tragedy
Hundreds of rescuers are searching the frigid waters of the Potomac River for survivors after an American Airlines jet with 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington on Wednesday.
Was the crash preventable?
What they're saying:
When asked about President Donald Trump’s overnight social media post that the collision between an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and an Army helicopter could have been prevented, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, "Do I think this was preventable? Absolutely."
Duffy also said passengers should be "assured" that flying is safe.
"I would just say that everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely. That when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn't happen last night and I know that President Trump, his administration, the FAA, the DOT, we will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly, you're safe."
"We have early indicators of what happened here and I will tell you with complete confidence we have the safest airspace in the world," Duffy said.
Duffy also added that, prior to the collision, the plane and helicopter flight paths "were not unusual for what happens in the DC airspace"
"Everything was standard in the lead up to the crash. Obviously there was something that happened here," Duffy said.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by a traveler head to Chicago as well as previous coverage from FOX 5 DC.