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Original poster

Washington DC Plane/Helicopter Collision

336 replies

ThatEllie · 30/01/2025 03:46

Is anyone awake and following this, or anyone in the States? It looks horrific. A US military Blackhawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane and both went down into the Potomac River.

You can see helicopters circling like mad on FlightRadar. I really hope they’re finding people.

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/29/us/plane-crash-washington-dc

OP posts:
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17
Overtheatlantic · 30/01/2025 04:02

The river could be frozen at this time of year. I’m from that area and if the plane ended up in the river then it was very close to landing. It’s a terribly designed airport.

Original poster
ThatEllie · 30/01/2025 04:22

I was wondering about that. Some of the footage showed what looked like a marina and there was definitely ice around the boats, but this image of the emergency responders looks like open water.

They just said on the news that the plane was coming in to land when the helicopter collided with it. Apparently the tower contacted the helicopter and confirmed that they could see the plane. They said they could see it, so the tower told them to fly behind it as it came in to land. They must have gotten disoriented.

Washington DC Plane/Helicopter Collision
OP posts:
Overtheatlantic · 30/01/2025 04:40

Flying at night in an urban setting and crashing into a massive jet flying at a low altitude. Very strange.

BeachRide · 30/01/2025 05:11

I'm getting deliberate vibes from the footage, but let's wait and see. Prayers for those involved.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 30/01/2025 05:22

Apparently eighteen bodies found so far, with four people pulled out of the river alive. I suspect there will be many more deaths.

Original poster
ThatEllie · 30/01/2025 05:28

Have they confirmed some survivors? They keep reporting on the news that they haven’t found any survivors so far of the 67 people (60 passengers, 4 crew, 3 military). The footage of the crash looks really bad but I was hoping…

OP posts:
Doloresparton · 30/01/2025 05:32

Overtheatlantic · 30/01/2025 04:02

The river could be frozen at this time of year. I’m from that area and if the plane ended up in the river then it was very close to landing. It’s a terribly designed airport.

Tragic whatever the cause.

Apparently it was frozen last week so the temperatures in the river will be near freezing I should think.

DidSomeoneTrump · 30/01/2025 05:49

Oh my goodness, just seen your post.

TravellingTartan · 30/01/2025 06:01

5 days ago Trump fired the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard and all the members of a key aviation security advisory group.

I'm not usually into conspiracy theories but that's a weird and tragic coincidence.

RubyRobin1 · 30/01/2025 06:11

To say that air travel is safe, there have been a few tragic incidents these past two months.
I hope the investigation is able to get to the broom of it.

TravellingTartan · 30/01/2025 06:11

The more I'm reading about it, the more I wonder who was on that plane. Was it targeted?

That poor man waiting for his wife. Heartbreaking.

Slytherinnnnn · 30/01/2025 06:14

@TravellingTartan , Trump is an arsehole, but your speculation is bonkers.

Apparently the helicopter was focused on a second plane, not the one it hit.

Original poster
ThatEllie · 30/01/2025 06:16

On the press conference they’ve just said that the water where they are working is only 8 feet deep. It seems like that would make things easier? They’re refusing to disclose anything about survivors or casualties though which doesn’t bode well.

The poor mayor looks completely exhausted.

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RubyRobin1 · 30/01/2025 06:19

I’m watching it too OP. The man talking in between the Mayor (who said a Psalm) looked quite emotional. The mayor does look very tired.
i noticed that they are only confirming the number of who was on board too. They said divers are in the plane.

Edit: think he is a Senator.

DidSomeoneTrump · 30/01/2025 06:23

ThatEllie · 30/01/2025 05:28

Have they confirmed some survivors? They keep reporting on the news that they haven’t found any survivors so far of the 67 people (60 passengers, 4 crew, 3 military). The footage of the crash looks really bad but I was hoping…

I read they have four survivors.

TravellingTartan · 30/01/2025 06:23

Doomsday plane just landed at Joint Space Andrews 45 miles from Washington.

Make of that what you will.

Washington DC Plane/Helicopter Collision
Ihateboris · 30/01/2025 06:24

Overtheatlantic · 30/01/2025 04:40

Flying at night in an urban setting and crashing into a massive jet flying at a low altitude. Very strange.

Yes, that's exactly what I thought. Very Very strange 🤔

TravellingTartan · 30/01/2025 06:25

Slytherinnnnn · 30/01/2025 06:14

@TravellingTartan , Trump is an arsehole, but your speculation is bonkers.

Apparently the helicopter was focused on a second plane, not the one it hit.

Interesting where did you get that info from?

Def bonkers theory I agree. But still a weird coincidence.

knitnerd90 · 30/01/2025 06:32

I'm not very far from this (I am in Maryland). It wasn't a "massive" jet -- it was a flight from Wichita with 60 passengers. There are very specific rules for flying into DCA as it's so close to downtown DC, and air traffic there is very complicated. It has the busiest single runway in the US. Flights are not allowed to fly over certain buildings and so they have to take this particular approach over the Potomac. What the Black Hawk was doing, I don't know. to be quite honest I think it was an accident. There's been several near misses at DCA and questions about whether it's over capacity.

Local chatter (I have a friend who's been listening to the scanner) is that things at the scene are not good, but they're not confirming anything.

knitnerd90 · 30/01/2025 06:32

Also it happened a little before 9pm local time, not an odd time at all for a flight to arrive.

HoraceCope · 30/01/2025 06:34

shocking
very sad
very difficult rescue mission

MaggieFS · 30/01/2025 06:42

Bloody hell, those poor people. Even if they survived the crash, that water will be freezing.

The speculation is nuts though.

RubyRobin1 · 30/01/2025 06:43

Thank you @knitnerd90 for the information about the airport and runway etc. I didn’t know it was so busy and complex.

I didnt think it wouldn’t be a huge jet with 60 passengers on. It’s still baffling though.

CerealPosterHere · 30/01/2025 06:46

Awful. Reports are saying plane is split in two and under 7ft of water. Helicopter is upside down and I think also in the water. Can’t imagine they’ll find anyone else alive, terrible.

HoraceCope · 30/01/2025 06:47

you would think it would be better to crash land into water but not necessarily

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