Footage has emerged showing the moment an American Airlines plane exploded after colliding mid-air near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington DC on Wednesday evening.
The small Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet collided with UH-60 Blackhawk US Army helicopter while landing at the airport, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River.
Video shows a massive burst of light as the plane explodes in the air before plummeting downwards.
The plane, which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew from Wichita in Kansas, was about 30 seconds from landing when the collision happened.
A massive search-and-rescue operation is under way in the nearby Potomac River, with around 300 emergency responders working at the scene.
No official details have been released about casualties, but reports early on Thursday morning suggest at least 18 bodies have been recovered so far.
US President Donald Trump has said the disaster “looks like it should have been prevented”.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned the tactics of the military helicopter and the air traffic controllers.
Writing that the “airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach for an extended period of time” on a “CLEAR NIGHT,” Trump questioned, “why didn’t the helicopter go up or down or turn,” and “why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.”
“What a terrible night this has been. God Bless you all!” he added in a subsequent post.
