Man reveals chilling last words with wife on doomed American Airlines Flight 5342 as passengers are pulled from river

A antheral whose woman was connected the doomed American Airlines Flight 5342 showed a newsman his heartbreaking last texts to her earlier the crash. 

The level from Wichita, Kansas to Washington collided with a subject helicopter just earlier 9pm connected Wednesday night. 

Emergency services successful the metropolis are searching the Potomac River adjacent the airdrome pursuing the incident. 

Hamaad Raza revealed his 26-year-old woman was connected committee the tragic formation and was texting her arsenic they were landing.

'I'm conscionable praying that somebody's pulling her retired of the stream close now, arsenic we speak. That's each I tin commune for, I'm conscionable praying to God,' helium told WUSA9, adding that helium arsenic praying for her safety.

Raza past showed the reporter, who described it arsenic 'one of the astir heartbreaking interviews of my nonrecreational career' what he'd sent her connected his phone.

'She texted maine that they were landing successful 20 minutes. The remainder of my texts didn't get delivered and that's erstwhile I realized that thing mightiness beryllium up,' helium said.

The antheral said his woman had gone to Wichita for enactment but that she'd ne'er felt comfy flying.

Raza and a household subordinate were pacing anxiously done Terminal 2 astatine Reagan Airport waiting for immoderate news.  

The hose has confirmed that determination were 60 passengers and 4 unit members onboard Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to the Capital erstwhile the collision happened. 

NBC Washington are reporting that astatine slightest 4 radical person been pulled from the h2o by rescue crews arsenic dive teams survey the clang site.

The level is said to person divided successful 2 and is successful astir 7 feet of water, portion the chopper is upside down and is unstable, according to the outlet.

The Federal Aviation Authority said that the jet, a Bombardier CRJ700, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk chopper portion connected attack to Runway 33. 

Defense officials person confirmed that the Black Hawk was an Army chopper that was carrying 3 soldiers astatine the clip who were connected a grooming flight.

Law enforcement sources person told CNN that determination are confirmed fatalities and that nary survivors person yet been rescued.

CBS meanwhile person reported that the bodies of 18 radical person been recovered, and that divers are exploring 3 debris fields.  

In audio from the aerial postulation power operation astir the clip of the crash, a controller is heard asking the helicopter, 'PAT25 bash you person the CRJ successful sight,' successful notation to the rider aircraft.

'Tower, did you spot that?' different aviator is heard calling seconds aft the evident collision. The operation instantly began diverting different craft from Reagan.

In a statement, DC Police said: 'At 8:53pm, aggregate calls were received for an craft clang supra the Potomac River. 

'DC Fire and EMS, the Metropolitan Police Department and aggregate spouse agencies are presently coordinating a hunt and rescue cognition successful the Potomac River. There is nary confirmed accusation connected casualties astatine this time.  

The airdrome said successful a station to X: 'All takeoffs and landings person been halted astatine DCA. Emergency unit are responding to an craft incidental connected the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update.' 

Images taken astatine the country amusement scores of exigency work teams on the riverside.  

Footage has besides emerged online of helicopters with hunt lights passing implicit the Potomac River. 

Video from an reflection camera astatine the adjacent Kennedy Center shows 2 sets of lights accordant with craft appearing to conjoin successful a fireball. 

Surveillance footage taken from wrong the airdrome besides captured the infinitesimal the 2 collided successful midair. 

Flightradar tracking information shows the last attack of the formation arsenic it crosses implicit the Potomac, earlier it cuts out. 

NBC Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer said that astatine the clip of the incidental the h2o somesthesia successful the stream was astir 37 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Kammerer said that astatine that somesthesia idiosyncratic successful the h2o has lone 15 to 20 minutes earlier they commencement suffering from hypothermia.  

Hamaad Ramza spoke with WUSA on Wednesday evening and revealed that his woman had been connected the level erstwhile it crashed. 

He said: 'I'm conscionable praying that idiosyncratic is pulling her retired of the stream close present arsenic we speak. I’m conscionable praying to God.'

As the rescue ngo continued, a small assemblage gathered silently connected the westbound slope of the Potomac River astatine Daingerfield Island successful Virginia.

They watched arsenic 3 helicopters shone spotlights connected the achromatic h2o scouring for survivors.

There was a tiny debris tract connected the h2o and a boat, and it was believed divers had gone in.

Vast numbers of exigency vehicles were gathered connected the eastbound slope of the river, connected the Washington D.C. side, their lights illuminating the Capitol gathering and the Washington Monument.

More exigency vehicles waited connected the extremity of the airdrome runway to the northbound of wherever the clang happened. Police vehicles closed disconnected roads accessing the airdrome building, which was virtually empty.

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall posted to his X saying: 'I've seen the reports of a collision with a D.C. chopper and an inbound formation from Wichita, KS. 

'We are successful interaction with authorities moving to get answers. We inquire you to articulation america successful supplication for each azygous rider and their families.'

The White House has besides confirmed the quality of the crash, with property caput Karoline Leavitt confirming unrecorded connected aerial that President Trump had been made alert of the crash. 

Trump said successful a statement: 'I person been afloat briefed connected the unspeakable mishap which conscionable took spot astatine Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls. 

'Thank you for the unthinkable enactment being done by our archetypal responders. I americium monitoring the concern and volition supply much details arsenic they arise.'

American Airlines said successful a statement: 'We're alert of reports that American Eagle formation 5342, operated by PSA, with work from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been progressive successful an incident. We volition supply accusation arsenic it becomes available.' 

In a station to X, Vice President JD Vance said: 'Please accidental a supplication for everyone progressive successful the mid-air collision adjacent Reagan airdrome this evening. 

'We're monitoring the situation, but for present let's anticipation for the best.'

An FAA connection said: 'A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 determination pitchy collided successful midair with a Sikorsky H-60 chopper portion connected attack to Runway 33 astatine Reagan Washington National Airport astir 9 p.m. section time. 

'PSA was operating arsenic Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas.  The FAA and NTSB volition investigate. The NTSB volition pb the investigation.'

DailyMail.com has approached the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for much information. 

American Airlines has asked that anybody that believes they had loved ones connected the formation to telephone 800-679-8215.