A man shares the haunting final conversation with his wife on American Airlines Flight 5342 before passengers were pulled from the river.
On January 29, American Airlines Flight 5342 tragically collided mid-air with a military helicopter.
The crash occurred near the Potomac River, and 64 people were onboard the flight.
Among those affected was Hamaad Raza, who shared the final texts he received from his wife before the crash.
Details of the final exchange between wife and husband
Raza’s wife, a 26-year-old woman, was on the flight from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington D.C.
She texted her husband saying the plane would land in 20 minutes.
Shortly after, her texts stopped being delivered, which led Raza to fear something had gone wrong.
“I’m just praying that somebody’s pulling her out of the river right now,” Raza told WUSA9, holding on to hope during the search for survivors.
Search and recovery efforts in the potomac river
Emergency responders launched an extensive search operation, with divers entering the Potomac River to locate victims.
At least 30 bodies have been recovered so far, and authorities are uncertain about the number of survivors.
The wreckage of the plane and helicopter has been found submerged in the river, with the aircraft split in two and the helicopter flipped upside down.
Passengers on board the flight, including figure skaters
Among the passengers were figure skaters returning from a camp in Wichita.
The flight included Russian-born former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were traveling with their young skaters.
It remains unclear if their son, Maxim, was aboard. The U.S. Figure Skating governing body expressed deep sorrow, calling it an “unspeakable tragedy” for the sport.
Political and public reactions to the tragedy
US Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, where the flight originated, expressed the immense heartbreak caused by the crash.
“When one person dies, it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die, it’s an unbearable sorrow,” he said.
The tragedy has also drawn reactions from political figures, with President Donald Trump offering condolences to the families of the victims.
Military response to the crash
The military helicopter involved was a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk, carrying three soldiers on a training flight.
Defense officials have confirmed their involvement in the incident.
The ongoing search and rescue efforts continue as divers sift through the wreckage in the Potomac River to locate more victims.
This tragic incident has left many families in mourning and the public in shock.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collision, while responders continue their search for victims.
Our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones as they cope with this unimaginable loss.