Moscow [Russia], January 30 : The Kremlin on Thursday confirmed that Russian figure skaters, along with other Russian nationals, were among those aboard the aircraft that crashed in Washington, according to a report by TASS.
Addressing reports about former Russian figure skaters being on the flight, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "We see, unfortunately, that this sad information is confirmed. Our other compatriots were also there. Bad news from Washington today."
Meanwhile, NBC News, citing sources, reported that over 30 bodies had been recovered from the site of the plane crash.
The TV channel added that the search and rescue operation continues "in difficult conditions."
According to the report, the bodies were found in the Potomac River, where debris from both the passenger plane and a military helicopter, which had collided, had sunk.
Notably, a mid-air collision occurred between a American Airlines plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, DC on Wednesday night. The collision resulted in both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River.
The aircraft involved in the collision included American Airlines Flight 5342, a regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members on board. The flight had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching the airport when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter on a training mission. The three soldiers aboard the helicopter were also confirmed dead. As of the latest reports, the wreckage from both the plane and the helicopter was found submerged in the icy waters of the Potomac River.
The collision occurred at a time when the airport was busy, with 858 flights scheduled to take off and land at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. In the wake of the incident, approximately 19 aircraft that were in the air at the time were diverted to nearby Dulles International Airport, about 20 miles away from Reagan National. The airport was closed, and all flights were grounded for the night, a decision expected to remain in effect until at least 11 am ET Thursday, airport officials had confirmed.
The crash sent shockwaves through the local community and beyond, with President Donald Trump offering condolences to the families of the victims, reported CNN.
"This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented," Trump posted on Truth Social.
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