A plane en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., collided mid-air with a military Black Hawk helicopter late Wednesday evening. Authorities have yet to confirm any survivors.
Hamaad Raza was waiting at Reagan Washington National Airport, exchanging texts with his wife as she neared home. Suddenly, his messages stopped delivering. At first, he thought it was a network issue, but as minutes passed, unease crept in. Then, the devastating news broke—a flight from Wichita had collided mid-air with a helicopter just before landing, sending both aircraft crashing into the icy waters of the Potomac River. It was his wife’s flight.
The last message she sent him read, “We’re landing in 20.” He texted back, but his messages never went through. A sinking feeling set in. Now, he holds on to hope, praying for the rescue teams to find her alive.
“I’m just praying that somebody’s pulling her out of the river right now as we speak. That’s all I can pray for. I’m just praying to God,” Raza told reporters, his voice trembling. His wife had traveled to Wichita for work, despite her deep fear of flying, making the tragedy even more heartbreaking.
Raza, a senior associate at EY-Parthenon, had been married to his wife for just over two years. As he waits for updates, more families are arriving at Reagan National Airport, desperate for answers about their loved ones.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Bombardier CRJ700, operated by PSA Airlines on behalf of American Airlines, was carrying 64 people when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The helicopter, a Sikorsky H-60, had three soldiers onboard for a routine training flight.
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