Washington DC plane crash: Why Potomac rescue operation was difficult

Washington DC plane crash: A mid-air collision between a passenger jet carrying 64 flyers and a military helicopter led to a tragic crash into Washington's Potomac River on Wednesday evening, prompting a massive rescue operation in near-freezing conditions.

The collision occurred around 9 pm ET as the passenger aircraft approached Reagan National Airport after a flight from Wichita, Kansas.

Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly later said that there are likely no survivors from the collision as recovery operations pulled 28 bodies from the river into which both the aircrafts crashed.

Soon after the mishap, a massive search and rescue operation was launched, with divers visible in the glare of powerful lights as they plunged into the snow-lined Potomac to scour the wreckage of both aircraft.

However, the authorities termed it one of the most difficult rescue operations given the temperature, weather, and darkness at the time of the crash.

Washington DC plane crash: Why Potomac search and rescue operation was difficult

Addressing a press briefing, Washington Fire chief John Donnelly described the operation as one carried out under “extremely rough” conditions and gave little indication they expected to find anyone alive.

"We will re-evaluate where we are with the rescue operation in the morning when we get a better sense of it," Donnelly said, adding, "But we are still out there working, and we're going to continue that throughout the night."

"We're going to be out there as long as it takes, and we're obviously trying to get to people as soon as possible, but we are going to recover our fellow citizens," Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters.

Describing the dire conditions and challenges that the rescuers faced, Mayor Bowser said that the agents were working in very dark, cold conditions – cold water – to execute the operation, making it one of the most difficult rescue missions in American history.

“The water that we’re operating in is about eight feet deep. There is wind. There are pieces of ice out there. So it’s just dangerous and hard to work in,” Donnelly told the New York Post.

What's the biggest question after Washington DC plane crash

The crash unfolded in a heavily congested airspace near the US capital, a region which is frequently populated by low-flying commercial aircraft and military helicopters.

The collision also raised questions about how a passenger plane, equipped with modern collision-avoidance technology, could collide with a military aircraft in such a busy area.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said in an official statement that he had been "fully briefed" and said of any victims, "May God bless their souls."

But less than four hours after the disaster he returned to social media to critique air traffic control.

"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the aeroplane for an extended period. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"Why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn? Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!"